Prayer for the Traveler
by TMcGeeSDCA
Summary: The Traveler is sent from Earth to save Ferelden; finds the Wardens and joins them on their quest to end the blight.  Includes romances between The Traveler and both Duncan and Zevran; plus humor, action, a little smut and a little drama.
1. Chapter 1: A Journey Started

_A/N An almost complete retelling of the Dragon Age Origins story, featuring all of the companions from DAO, Zevran will be the major focus. All dates are "Earth" dates to allow for continuity of the story as I write it. Since I have not bothered to draw up a picture of Erin in her armor yet, for now imagine her in a feminine version of the Assassin's Creed 2 uber armor set, in white with red trim. I may get around to drawing something up and posting it._

_This is the 1st time I have published anything at all, so reviews are welcome. This will be fairly epic and I will probably have huge pauses in publishing chapters, for which I apologize._

_Everything about Dragon Age and its characters belong to Bioware, The Traveler belongs to me._

Chapter 1: A Journey Started

May 1, 2010

The senior adviser checked over Erin's equipment carefully, the portal would open within the next 30 minutes and he had every reason to believe this would not be an easy trip for his Traveler. He made certain she had every weapon she could possibly require. Her rifle was disassembled and the pieces fitted in to their assigned places in her armor; completely concealed from anyone but herself and her personal team of Custodis. She hated the weapon, but he insisted she take it.

Components to make dissolving ammunition were stored in her pack, as well as malleable explosives and remote detonators. Having to carry this level of artillery on her person made her extremely uneasy about the coming mission and what may be required of her.

She was used to carrying an array of weaponry when she traveled. Most of it directly related to her Chinese and Japanese martial training under the tutelage of the Custodis masters. All of it had to be integrated in to her armor so that it was readily available when needed, while not hindering her movement or ability to remain completely silent while in stealth. Sewn in to the metal and leather armor over her left shoulder was a casing holding six throwing knives. A beautifully crafted Katana sword was sheathed at her left hip, partially covered by her cloak.

Her preferred weapon, the Kyoketsu-shoge, had its chain carefully wrapped around fittings attached to her armored belt, while the blade itself was sheathed on her right side at the waist. A 16 inch dagger was fitted along her right hip and thigh, hidden within the folds of her cloak and skirting. The gauntlets on each forearm contained hidden, 10 inch daggers and were made of a combination of metal and tooled leather.

He attached her pack to the fitting on the armor across her back which was designed to allow it to be easily removed when necessary. To the left side of the pack he attached her repeating crossbow, making sure the safety was on since it was loaded with a cartridge of bolts. The pack contained everything she would normally need to survive on her own for about 30 days, with the exception of major food stuffs. The adviser was certain she would be able to hunt or fish for food where she was going so she only carried a few protein bars and a water purification wand.

Everything was condensed to the smallest possible size for weight and portability. Her tent was a fairly extravagant affair, but with the advances in exploration equipment, it took very little space. Her sleeping bag and pad were extremely comfortable despite their economy of scale. She also carried various items for use in disguising herself, should it become necessary, as well as toiletries for bathing, basic survival items, her personal data assistant, a digital camera and a solar charging station.

While her adviser could sense some degree of the complexity of her journeys, he could not tell what exactly she would be fighting when she arrived. He could give her a vague time-line for how long she may expect to be in the alternate plain of existence, but he cautioned her that nothing was certain in that regard.

She well knew the risks of the occupation thrust upon her. She may not return from any given journey as many a Traveler had before her and many would after her. Poor men and women, chosen by an unknown entity for an occupation no one knows exists, left to their own devices in unknown worlds and spaces in the universe, never to be seen again in their own place and time. It was a cruel thing, to be chosen.

Regardless of the pitfalls, Erin relished her training under the Custodis masters in China and Japan. The weaponry they bestowed upon her was crafted ages ago by ancient masters of the martial arts, when the Custodis was first formed to support The Travelers. It did something to make up for the horrors she faced; the honor of wielding these weapons, passed down from the heroes before her.

There were at least 2 Travelers in operation at any given time per the ancient codex of the Custodis. The earliest accounts were documented by the Chinese predecessors of the more modern, Latin Custodis, around 2698 BCE. Each Traveler that has lived, died, or simply disappeared, is recorded in those pages. Their heroic deeds and sacrifices known only to those that served them and that they served on their journeys. Heroes all; always forgotten. They were sent away to battle as an army of one; to defeat demons and evil across time and space. Their skill rivaled by none, their stories told by no one.

There was a sudden flash of blue light that brought Erin out of her meditations on the past. It was time to get her game face on. Time to be torn from everything she knew to a place she knew not at all. As the light began to consume her and her being started to shudder and collapse in to its base matter, she spoke softly the words that held her together in times of trial…

God, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference. And she was gone.

~TBC~


	2. Chapter 2: Finding Common Ground

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 2: Finding Common Ground

May 1, 2010

The world around her began to clarify and matter reformed in to discernible objects once more. Shaken as always from such a mode of travel, she stood trembling as she gathered herself. It took all of her strength and focus to remain standing while she got her bearings.

Eventually, the weakness faded and she began to take stock of her surroundings. She was in a rather dense forest of what appeared to be pine trees. There were no signs of human habitation, but she didn't know if they even existed in this world.

Everything seemed as if it could be any forest on Earth. The sounds of the birds were the same. The smell the same as any other forest she had ever been to. She began to wonder if she may have been sent to another time period on her own planet, but that would make no sense. Surely there would have been Travelers to handle any threat to mankind in Earth's history.

She decided stealth was the best option while she determined her next course of action. Slipping easily in to the ether, she disappeared. Just as she began to move, she heard a man call out, "If you would please stay visible long enough for proper introductions, I would be most appreciative."

She froze. While the sound of a human voice was welcome, she wasn't altogether certain it _was_ human, or even friendly. She was still dizzy from her trip and not entirely ready for a fight should one ensue.

She decided to focus on the voice and where it was coming from; better to be prepared than standing there dumbstruck. She turned toward the source of her concern to see a tall man standing with his arms folded across his chest; staring at her general position.

He was quite handsome and appeared very human. He was dark skinned with black hair pulled back into a short pony tail; his beard and mustache of the same color were neatly trimmed. He looked Persian in her estimation and appeared to have many features of someone from the Middle-East.

She called upon her ability to sense the intentions of others and probed his essence for understanding. She quickly determined he was friend, not foe. He had revealed a great sense of honor and a warrior's heart during her examination. However, an overwhelming sense of loss seemed to permeate the man.

Having determined he was her best chance at starting her mission, she revealed herself and began walking forward, hands extended to the sides, palms out in a gesture of "I come in peace". She realized this and the irony of her being the Alien in this man's world and giggled a little to herself. The urge to say, "Take me to your leader" was almost overwhelming. "Too many Sci-Fi movies Erin", she whispered under her breath.

His name was Duncan. With him traveled a new recruit for an order he called "The Grey Wardens". Poor young man; his name was Aiden Cousland and apparently he had just watched his entire family, save an older brother, slaughtered at the hands of a traitorous family friend. He was of noble birth they said, some higher echelon of this world's Monarch system. How sad. Erin hated monarchies; people being born to rule without regard for the ability to actually do so. This young man was far too pained to seem dull and arrogant however, and she sensed no real egotism within him.

Duncan seemed rather accepting of her vaporous appearance just moments before; however, he was obviously curious as to her identity, her need for so much armor and weaponry, and convenient arrival so close to something he called a "blight".

Erin knew that revealing her true identity to the wrong people could have dire consequences. In this case, she felt she had little choice but to indulge Duncan with his questions; even if she did leave out the bulk of her own story and background.

"My name is Erin. It is a pleasure to meet you both. Aiden, I am extremely sorry to hear of your recent losses. May God hold safely in his house those that were slain until you are reunited. Duncan, my purpose here is both clear and a mystery to me. I am of an order that is dispatched to places beset by great evil. My sole reason for being here is to rid you and your world of whatever demonic entity or entities currently threaten it. I can only assume that this "blight" you speak of is a bad thing, and that perhaps my purpose here lies in your path. Could you please elaborate on what a blight is?"

Duncan proceeded to tell her about previous blights, the Darkspawn, the Archdemon and the Grey Wardens. His eyes asked how a small woman could possibly be the only person sent from such an order to help them, but he did not verbalize his concerns. Erin knew how she must appear to him now, but if he could see her in the true form of The Traveler, he would not question her ability.

Whenever The Traveler was confronted by evil, they could assume their true form, and what a wondrous form it is. The body instantly transformed and covered head to toe by an impenetrable armor of scale and light. Their eyes glowed with the blue-white light of what was believed to be holy energy, radiating from their very soul. The mere touch of a finger was enough to incinerate a lesser demon.

There burning gaze was capable of striking down great armies of the Devil's minions, but at great cost to the Traveler's life reserves. That little trick was what they called in their profession "The Last Resort".

She can snatch demons from afar and bring them to her feet. She can instantly summon all manner of weapons and shields from either hand. She can meld her feet in to the earth itself to become a wall of protection for others. She can fall from great heights as if stepping off a curb. In short, The Travelers are immortal once they assume their true form. She had to admit, she did rather enjoy that part of the job.

Did she explain all of this to Duncan as he stared at her musing to herself about her own gloriousness? No, she did not.

She simply asked what his plans were and offered to follow him to Ostagar and stand with their armies against this blight thing. If the Archdemon appeared, she assured him she would be prepared to deal with the demon when the time came, but was not presently willing to elaborate on how.

Duncan explained that they still had three days travel before they would reach their destination and suggested they cover a little more ground before setting camp for the night.

After only another hour or so hiking, Duncan directed them to a small clearing near a stream and stated this would be their campsite. They each set about pitching tents and making their beds for the night. Duncan started a small fire so he could roast the rabbit he and Aiden had caught before meeting Erin.

They appeared to have dug up some sort of root vegetable near the stream which Duncan asked Erin to peel and slice while he prepared the rabbit. The roots were placed in a pot of water to simmer with some lovely smelling spices Duncan retrieved from his pack. She thought it smelled quite a bit like an Indian Masala dish, which was fine with her as Indian food was one of her personal favorites.

They ate dinner silently, each to their own thoughts. Erin was ravenous and the food was delicious. Camping always did make food taste better, she thought, but this seemed genuinely tasty. Hmmm, handsome and he knows his spices, intriguing. "Stop it" she yelled mentally at herself. "This is neither the time nor the place for a romantic entanglement."

Her physical needs were getting sick of her mind telling her that. Sooner or later some poor man was going to get jumped by a drooling woman in her early 40s. She would have to take a more serious approach to dating after this trip, this was her promise to herself.

"Oh perfect, is he smiling at me? Oh please tell me I wasn't staring at the poor man lecherously. Oh, God, I wasn't, was I?" Great, now she was rambling on in her own head. He was delectable, and appeared to be about her age.

"Hmm, maybe early to mid-forties", she wondered. A seasoned warrior and fighter of great evil, "I bet he has a fantastic body… Oh please stop…" This was going to be a long night.

XXX

Duncan knew the woman was skilled by the way she carried herself and the effortlessness of her movements as she made her way through the forest. Her weapons intrigued him, as did her armor. And her pack, tent and bedding were made from material he had never seen before.

She was quite lovely as well. While her armor certainly looked protective and practical, it also had a flare and style that suited her. She had worn her hood for the majority of their time together but had removed it when they started setting camp and he was finally able to see her face fully.

She had lightly tanned skin and wavy, strawberry-blond hair which glinted a little of gold in the firelight. Her eyes were a mix of amber and green. She was not overly young, but he though she must be at least 10 years his junior. Maybe 35 years old, he thought, maybe even a little younger. But her eyes, those eyes looked at him with the wisdom and experience of someone closer to his own age. And, "wait a minute, is she ogling me?" He couldn't help but smile at the idea.

She wore a rather billowy white blouse, judging by the exposed sleeves, and the collar of her armor was open in a deep v-neck before it met with the metal and leather of her belt and reinforcements along her chest. He could just make out what appeared to be an ample bosom hidden beneath all that cloth, metal and leather.

She wasn't tall like most human Ferelden women were, in fact, she was quite petite. He guessed her height to be no more than five and a half feet. He would have thought she was an elf if it weren't for her lack of pointed ears.

The entire affair was rather elaborate and there was a crest on her cloak, which she wore mostly off her left shoulder; apparently to conceal the blade strapped to that side of her waist. The whole thing seemed to have an air of "uniform" about it, and he thought maybe it was indeed the armor of her order.

She had not told him where she came from, specifically. Nor did she tell him much about the order she belongs to. Duncan was not about to question help offered in the time of a blight. He did wonder, however, if she should undertake The Joining. He quickly dismissed that notion, at least for now. If she was already a member of some order, there was hardly room for another. And if she turned out to be an insane mage capable of teleportation, he would know soon enough. The other mages already at Ostagar would be able to tell him if she had magic, as would the Templars accompanying the Revered Mother.

They would have to have a cohesive story to explain just who she is to everyone at Ostagar. The King will be most inquisitive, especially considering her beauty, armor and weapons. He would bring it up in the morning. Right now, sleep was in order and he recommended as much to the rest of his small party.

Glancing once at each other, they said their good nights.

From inside his tent, he heard her speak in a reverent tone, something that sounded like an oath, or maybe a prayer, "God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference." It was beautiful in its simplicity he thought. He would ask her about it in the morning. Before laying down in his own bedroll, he repeated the Grey Warden oath.

XXX

Once inside her tent, she knelt and prayed. She heard Duncan speak in a resolute voice, something that sounded like an oath or maybe a prayer , "In war, victory, In peace, vigilance, In death, Sacrifice." She would have to ask him about it in the morning.

~TBC~

_A/N Please let me know what you think so far. Now that I've started in, I'm kind of on a roll, but still flying pretty blind. Do I need to change the referenced characters to add Cousland? I didn't want to since the romance will really be between Zevran and Erin and Aiden won't be romantically involved. Also, should I get a beta for this story? I have the entire outline but am a little worried about sending it to just anyone. I know ideas can be stolen from time to time. Anyway, please review and thank you._


	3. Chapter 3: The Best Surprises

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 3: The Best Surprises Come in Small Packages

May 2, 2010

Erin woke with that familiar "jet lag" feeling, only this was far worse than the comparably short flight to China. The time of year and day seemed to be equivalent to her home world; however, this land was far from similar to the arid terrain of San Diego. She decided she must be at a fairly significant elevation as the air took on the crispness she associated with places like Yosemite at this time of the year.

She began to dress hoping the fog in her head would lift during the process. She pulled on her most beloved article of clothing, her body suit made of carbon nanotubes. It was similar to Kevlar in that it prevented bullets and other ballistics from penetrating skin, but this newer technology actually managed to reflect the force behind the ballistic itself. No blunt force trauma would be inflicted should she be hit by an arrow or shrapnel. It was like Underarmor on steroids. She finished dressing and arming herself before striking camp.

It appeared breakfast was not to be proffered this morning, so she grabbed a protein bar from her pack to start the day.

Duncan saw her unwrapping the curious item and walked over to her, his eyes widening as he saw the material she pulled away from the bar. It had strange writing on it, and what appeared to be images of food.

Noticing his obvious intrigue at her breakfast, she stated, "It's probably time I gave you some more information about who, and what, I am exactly." He nodded with a generous smile to the affirmative.

"I heard you say something in your tent last evening. I was quite taken by its beauty. Was that a prayer?"

He was very sincere and she was pleased he liked it. "Yes, it is a prayer, the Serenity Prayer to be exact. It has always been my favorite because it is simple yet profound."

"You spoke of someone named "God", is that the deity of your people? In this land, we worship The Maker."

This would be a tricky subject; religion always was. There was always the chance that "The Maker" was simply their name for the same entity she called God, but religion was rarely simple.

"Yes, I believe in God. He created heaven and earth and mankind in his own image. Obviously, there is much more to the religion than that. However, The Holy Bible, our sacred text, is hardly something one could explain over breakfast." She smiled at him and it was returned knowingly. "There are other religions on my planet and many different belief systems; but _I_ believe when we die, our soul is returned to God in Heaven. Is your belief system similar?"

"Yes, I believe it is. Our sacred text, as you call it, would be The Chant of Light. The similarities are intriguing."

She couldn't help but agree with his assessment. With all of the recent talk of string theory and multiple, parallel universes; she wondered if she might not be on Earth, simply a different version of it. It was hardly out of the question, however anytime her mind tried to think about the universe in too great a detail, she invariably got a migraine. She quickly changed her train of thought to get back to the matter at hand.

"I will do my best to explain, however, from your armor and weaponry, and what you have told me so far of the people here, I believe much of what I say may be hard for you to understand. Not that I feel you lack the intelligence, I simply doubt anything I have to say will be at all familiar to you. I am, as you have surmised by now, not from this world. I normally reside on a planet we call Earth, in the Milkyway Galaxy of stars and planets. Where it lies in relation to this planet, I can't begin to guess.

"I live on the North American Continent, in a country named The United States of America. My home is in the city of San Diego, in the state of California which runs almost the entire length of the West coast of the country. San Diego is the last city in the south of the State before you cross national borders to another country. Maybe, as we walk, I can tell you more of the land itself; but what's most important for you to know now is how I can help you."

She searched his eyes for understanding. This must sound so incredibly unbelievable to the man, however, if he thought she was insane, he didn't show it in his demeanor.

"Please continue" is all he said in response.

"I have been trained extensively in martial combat, including the use of the weapons you see on my person, as well as unarmed combat and ranged weaponry. These are not the primary skills of those in my profession, however. I am from an order called The Travelers. They have existed on my world for over 4000 years according to the secret text of the order that assists The Travelers. That order is called Custodis, or 'The Keepers'.

"Travelers are sent across space and time to worlds beset by demonic forces and our sole purpose in traveling is to defeat whatever is threatening that world. We are not certain who is behind our missions and abilities, however, it is widely speculated that we are being directed by a benevolent being that is responsible for keeping the forces of the Devil from gaining the upper hand in the physical realms of the universe."

"And the Devil is an opposing deity to this God you spoke of? Do you believe God is directing your order? Also, we should get underway and discuss this as we travel. Aiden, I need you alert while we converse."

He had managed to ask the one question she was most uncomfortable facing herself. The idea that God was directing her travels carried with it the horror of what sort of moral scrutiny that would place her in. While she was a religious person, she did have her vices and she was the furthest thing from pious.

Her political views were often at odds with the conservatives of America and she absolutely refused to judge others based on Biblical sins. In her opinion, that was God's job alone. She believed we were judged when we died and attempting to do so while we lived wasted the gift He bestowed on us. She was not above disdain, however, when she witnessed abuse, injustice, selfishness and dangerously inconsiderate behavior in others. Those offenses could send her into a rage of indignation.

"There is so much information behind the concept of God and the Devil that we couldn't possibly come to a complete understanding in a reasonable time. Suffice it to say that no, the Devil, or Lucifer by his given name, is no deity. He was one of God's soldiers, an angel, created before God had created Mankind. Lucifer became jealous of the love God offered these lesser beings and was cast out of Heaven for his betrayal to a place we call Hell. This is where Lucifer rules over his minions of demons. He and his demons tempt mortals constantly in an effort to win their soul for hell's army. I believe, when a mortal dies, their soul either returns to Heaven or is drawn to Hell. But again, this is a terribly complex discussion and does not get us closer to an understanding of how I can aid you."

Uncomfortable question completely avoided, go team!

"As a Traveler, I have a personal team of Custodis assigned to me, including medical and military science experts, two masters of martial arts who I train with daily, and a Senior Adviser. The Adviser's critical role is to approximate the timing of my missions and what I may need to complete them. He also runs the household and our business ventures and acts as my assistant of sorts."

She paused to allow him time to ask questions, but he simply waited for her to continue. He was either an incredibly patient and accepting man, or seriously pondering the extent of her insanity.

"Travelers are chosen, by whom or what, we do not know. I was chosen just five years ago as I lay in a coma. It was from within that coma that I completed my first mission. Again, I will be more than happy to elaborate later if you wish. I have been on four more missions since the first, making this my sixth mission. As I said before, the armor and weapons you see now are not my primary weapons, they are a back up of sorts.

"When I am confronted by demonic forces, or evil to put it plainly, I can assume my true form as The Traveler. In short, I become immortal and have great strength and abilities to annihilate anything of a demonic or evil nature. I can completely shield others from harm as well, but I cannot heal them if they're injured. I can determine if a demon is one of the Devil's named minions and I have religious incantations I use to repel them from the physical world back to Hell. That is about as plainly as I can put it."

Duncan stood with his arms folded, head lowered in thoughtful contemplation of what she had just told him. He believed her. He had seen far too much in his life to find her tale completely ridiculous, only highly irregular. He had long ago lost his ability to be shocked at what the world was capable of throwing at him.

He lifted his head, looked her in the eyes and said, "I have no reason to think you are not telling me the truth. I am glad to have you here and I thank you for your sacrifice. It cannot be easy to be torn from your own people and thrust into the unknown. I am curious, can you sense demonic entities? Can they sense you?" His own role as a Grey Warden begged the question. If she was indeed attuned so specifically to her foes, possible she shared some of his abilities as well.

"I can sense them, yes. It appears that the greater demons, the named demons, can sense me as well, but only when I am in my true form. This, of course, is the reason for my more traditional weapons. I try not to reveal myself before it is absolutely necessary. I prefer the look of surprise on my prey." She winked at him then, a joke from one warrior to another.

"The Archdemon behind this blight has yet to reveal itself. We may find it preferable for you to assume your true form to draw it from its hiding place. We will see. There is the matter of what we will tell the forces at Ostagar about you. I will not ask you to pretend to be a last minute recruit because I will not have you undertake The Joining of my order, but that leaves us without an easy explanation of who you are.

"The Chantry, our religious institution, will consider your beliefs heresy and will not respond kindly. We must keep your identity hidden from them. I fear the only people I would trust with your secret are those in my own order; anyone else will talk and that talk will eventually make it back to the Chantry."

Duncan went silent as he searched his mind for the least questionable explanation for this woman. Her gear was going to raise questions. She obviously could not part with her armor and weapons, and he was certain she needed whatever was in her pack for her survival. Completely refitting her was not going to be an option. He did, however, have a spare pack that her pack would fit into easily. She could carry that instead and avoid anyone seeing the bulk of what was truly strange about her gear. The armor and weapons were certainly different, but appeared to be made out of commonly used materials. Their structure, though elaborate, was not out of place.

He stopped then so they could properly address this important issue. "Aiden, please keep a watchful eye and ear to our surroundings, we are almost done here." Turning to Erin, he continued, "Do you speak any other languages? Maybe we can say you were traveling here from an adjacent country, heard about the blight and thought to offer your services as a trained soldier." He looked at her with hopeful eyes. It was a stretch, but they understood each other so far, maybe things between their worlds were not so different after all.

"I can speak six languages in all, five of them fluently, one not so much. Shall I begin speaking each in turn until one of them is familiar to you and sounds like a plausible solution?" She did not ask this with a sly or arrogant tone, it was an earnest question on how he wished to proceed.

"Six languages? You truly are accomplished. Please, your plan sounds agreeable. Choose the most common language next to the one we are speaking now and we will continue from there." She spoke six languages, it amazed him, and her intellect must be considerable for such an endeavor. However, upon further consideration, he thought it was probably useful for someone of her order.

She began the exercise with Spanish since it was definitely the most common language after English, in her opinion. Living in San Diego, so close to the Mexican border would allow her to adopt an easy accent as well. "Hmmm, should I have a little fun with this man?" she thought to herself. He had not even blinked at any of the things she had told him so far, not so much as a flinch or a dropping of the jaw. While impressive, she wondered just how implacable he truly was.

"Me parece que usted sea un hombre increíblemente atractivo, mi Grey Warden. Me pregunto cómo es que han llegado a ser tan razonables cuando se enfrentan a la información tanto increíble. Qué haría falta para que un hombre de rubor como fortaleza considerable? Mantiene una actitud rígida, incluso en la agonía de la pasión?

Duncan lowered his eyes to her mischievously and he regarded her with his most devilish and roguish grin possible. He understood her perfectly well, and he knew she was baiting him. He was delighted to see that she maintained a sense of humor even when faced with such a daunting task. Two could play at this game, he thought.

"Le aseguro, mi intrigante Traveler, que durante la agonía de la pasión que puedo mantener mi rigidez durante bastante tiempo. Grey Warden resistencia es toda una leyenda, o eso dicen."

He was successful; he hadn't seen a woman blush that shade of crimson at a comment from his own lips in quite some time. It was invigorating to see the reaction he caused in her. He was suddenly aware of Aiden's presence and questioning look as he stared at them, trying to determine what the two were saying that made Erin blush so furiously.

Duncan chuckled and shook his head. "I believe that language will do nicely. You are from Antiva then. We will say you have fled from the order of assassins known as The Antivan Crows. That will explain your armor and fighting prowess, and your reason for being so far from your home. I will simply state that your training has made you resistant to poisons and therefore, I do not feel you could survive The Joining. However, since you are willing to assist in fighting the blight, I saw no reason to turn you away. If this is agreeable to you, I will give you as much information as I can for your back-story as we continue our walk."

Well, that certainly backfired on her, but she had to laugh. They were quite the pair. Duty and honor bound by fate, yet resilient and affable in the face of it as well. She truly liked Duncan and found in him a kindred soul. "Yes, that is quite agreeable Duncan, very agreeable indeed." She thought to get one last flirt in before they resumed their march. Apparently, her reference to his Spanish, or Antivan response was not lost on Duncan as he winked at her and smiled before turning to resume walking.

They had two, maybe three more days ahead of them on the road and Erin looked forward to getting to know this man before they were thrust back into reality and surrounded by armies of people she didn't know. She could not help but wonder what it would be like to bed a warrior and man of Duncan's apparent experience.

Duncan suddenly paused in his discussion on Antiva and asked, "May I ask, out of curiosity, what is your age Erin? If it is not too impertinent a question?"

"I don't mind at all. I am 41 years old if you go by my time on Earth alone, but I have lived closer to 43 years counting the time I have spent traveling and the fact that my 42nd birthday is only a few months away. I know I look younger. Part of that is simply due to my own body's nature, but also because traveling does some strange things to our physical age in order to keep us from aging too quickly. If it did not, we could quickly outpace our lives on Earth. One of the perks, as it were. Occasionally, we shed a year off our physical age."

"Interesting, thank you. I am 45 years old myself." Duncan thought the irony bitter and for a brief moment, thought how cruel the fates could be to their soldiers. The order he belonged to had shortened his life span considerably and he was facing the end of it, and yet this woman's occupation drew hers out longer. He was allowed to live his life fully in one world, surrounded by people and places he knew well. Hers could end at any time, surrounded by nothing familiar at all, never to see her home again.

She was indeed a woman of experience, almost the same age as him. He was usually surrounded by those far younger and rarely had anyone nearby he could truly call a peer. But in this woman, he saw much of himself. There was regret, humor, acceptance, defiance and resolve. All carefully tucked away behind a curtain of duty and honor, but visible to someone who shared the same path.

He sighed, just a little, and then returned them to their previous discussion.

~TBC~

_A/N: This was a frustrating chapter for me. I wanted to describe the Travelers, Erin's occupation and home world, but I didn't want it to be too wordy. Also, I am no member of a Bible Study group and hardly remember what I was taught in church, so some of the Heaven and Hell stuff may be inaccurate from the bible. I'm just trying to get the jist of it out without making this whole thing be about religion. I don't want it to be. They don't even know if any deity is behind the Travelers and that is something I have never wanted to tackle for this character period. Better for it to remain a question mark, IMO. _

_What Erin says to Duncan is:_

_I find you to be an incredibly attractive man, my Grey Warden. I wonder how it is you have come to be so reasonable when faced with so much incredible information. What would it take to make a man of such considerable fortitude blush? Do you maintain such a rigid demeanor even in the throes of passion?_

_Duncan's reply is:_

_I assure you, my intriguing Traveler, that during the throes of passion I can maintain my rigidity for quite some time. Grey Warden stamina is the stuff of legends, or so they say._

_I hope the translation stands up to scrutiny; I am using Google Translate for this story. English to Spanish. Antiva, to me, is Spain. Please review and comment, I appreciate it greatly! Zevgirl and Witchweaver, Gracias! I may or may not give you what you want Witchweaver, have not decided yet. I know, major tease, lol. I hope you are enjoying their relationship and my Duncan character though. I think I am staying true to Bioware's creation in that respect._


	4. Chapter 4: Stealth, It's a Fickle Thing

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 4: Stealth, It's a Fickle Thing

May 2, 2010

They continued to make their way through the forest, Duncan explaining the country of Antiva to her and what he knew of the Antivan Crows.

Erin thought Antiva sounded like a beautiful place to vacation, if it weren't run by assassins. Who the hell runs a country that way? This was indeed a strange place.

Erin felt a chill down her spine and visibly shivered, at that same moment, Duncan grew quiet and stopped dead in his tracks. He motioned for Aiden to come closer and said to them both in a whisper, "There are darkspawn nearby, just a scouting party. Twelve I think, including an emissary. Erin, Aiden, the emissary must die, they cast spells and without a mage on our side, we are at a disadvantage. They are usually at the back of the group and hardest to get to.

"Erin, I do not wish to give your presence away so soon, if you can, please refrain from changing form. If it means the difference between life and death, use your best judgment. It is imperative that neither of you get their blood in your mouth. You will become tainted and the only cure is death. Erin, I believe stealth would be appropriate now. If you can get to the emissary undetected, that should be your first priority."

Erin nodded in understanding, pulled her hood over her head, placing the mask hidden inside over her nose and mouth, and slipped into the ether.

Duncan smiled, that was a pretty clever trick. He knew of stealth, but to be able to become completely invisible without relying on shadows was not quite the same.

Duncan led them quietly through the dense trees toward their quarry. It was getting late in the afternoon and the forest was heavy in shadow where the groves were thickest. Very quickly, they heard them, crunching through the forest without a care of the noise they made. Duncan and Aiden each ducked behind a tree, Erin simply waited for her orders and prepared for possible missile fire in her direction. Moments later, the darkspawn began appearing as they climbed the rise leading to Erin and her companions. They were on alert; they had obviously sensed Duncan.

Suddenly, two genlock rogues appeared out of nowhere on either side of Duncan. Aiden quickly dispatched one with his shield while Duncan parried and feinted around the other, slicing its throat in one smooth action. The rest of the darkspawn growled in defiance and charged at them. Duncan yelled, "Erin, the emissary, NOW!"

She saw what must be the emissary at the back of the darkspawn group. It had a staff and she had played enough video games to know that meant "caster class". She flitted through the space between herself and her prey. My God, these are some UGLY creatures, and the smell? Why do they have to stink; their appearance truly is enough without the smell. The emissary was mid-cast when Erin sliced the creature from shoulder to hip in one graceful swing of her Katana. It was over so quickly, the others had not noticed her before she slipped back into stealth.

She released her Kyoketsu-shoge from her waist, threading her left hand and wrist through the ring at one end and folding the chain to gather slack until she had a target. She unsheathed the business end of the weapon with her right hand and began the familiar dance that was part and parcel to this weapon. They were outnumbered, but they had their enemy flanked; Duncan and Aiden in front and Erin behind them. She took stock of everyone's position and likely path through the darkspawn, then she slipped once more from the shadows as she let lose her weapon on the unsuspecting darkspawn.

She struck her target in the head and it immediately fell. Retrieving her weapon with a graceful swing of the chain, she began the process of spinning it effortlessly around her limbs while continuously assessing the field. She felled one darkspawn after another with the incredible quickness and precision only the masters could teach. Six more were dead before they even knew she was behind them. Duncan quickly dispatched the last two Aiden had been taunting and holding off with his shield.

Duncan was in awe. The fight was over almost as quickly as it had started. His new recruit had performed extremely well; he would be perfect paired with a rogue or two. But Erin, she was an absolute marvel. She said she was well trained, but he now believed that was an extremely modest understatement. He surveyed the darkspawn, making certain they were all dead. When he came to the emissary, he went still. He slowly tilted his head to the side and with a smirk asked, "Now, which of those weapons can do _that_?"

She strode over to Duncan until she was standing on his left side, almost touching him. With her right hand, she drew her Katana reverently from its ancient sheath on her left hip and held the blade in front of the two of them. "This one", she said with a sense of pride she was unable to mask.

Duncan had not seen the blade itself before now. It was truly a magnificent weapon. Her pride in wielding it was unmistakable. Who wouldn't be proud of such an item; it was more art than a mere blade. "Do you mind?" he asked as he tentatively reached for the hilt.

She willingly placed it in his hand, with a warning, "These blades are known to be the sharpest instruments ever made."

"Judging from the wound it inflicted on that emissary, I don't think I will argue." he said it as he turned the Katana in his hand, admiring the scroll work embossed along the blade.

Erin continued, "They are an ancient tradition to the Japanese people of my world; hundreds of years old. This particular weapon was crafted over 1000 years ago by a Japanese master smith specifically for the order. While this sword is a Katana, it is also called kotō, or "old sword" because it was made during what was considered the pinnacle of the craft in Japan."

She had stopped talking rather abruptly, causing Duncan to turn slightly to see her expression. She had gone solemn, very solemn, while discussing the weapon's history.

She looked up at him then and with restrained tears in her eyes said, "Duncan, the sword in your hand has been passed from my brothers and sisters in the order for generations upon generations. Every one of their sacrifices is held within its steel. It is all that is left of them. There are no stories of great adventure, no medals, no heroes' welcome when they returned home, just the knowledge that they were successful and able to bring this blade home to be passed on to the next Traveler. That is the true measure of the success of our order, right there, in your hand. That so many have wielded it in battle yet it remains in our possession still. I do not wish this tradition to end on my watch. It is my greatest fear."

He handed the hilt back to her and she sheathed the weapon as she turned from him and walked away. She did not want him to see the weakness in her eyes, she was there to save them, not burden him with her concerns.

He had been wrong, she wasn't like him; she was him. She understood everything it meant to be a Grey Warden. She walked the same path he walked. He wanted to comfort her, but he knew full well this did not go along with her plan to keep her pain from him. He would not wish to be coddled if the situation were reversed. All the same, he needed her to know that her admission was ok, but now was not the time.

They looted what they could from the Darkspawn and continued on their path a short while longer before making camp for the evening. Erin's mood had changed again and her playful smirk and flirtatious comments returned. Her confident swagger was back in her step and she exuded strength, grace and sex-appeal.

XXX

Duncan chose a camp site with a hot spring so they could bathe, but also because it was quite a distance from where they had fought the darkspawn. This took them slightly off course and they would have to make double time the next day to reach Ostagar at a reasonable hour.

Erin offered to hunt down some dinner before it got too dark and borrowed Aiden's longbow for that purpose. She saw no reason to spend cartridges from her own, unique weapon when he could resupply his so easily. Aiden volunteered to find wood and any roots they may be able to cook for dinner. Duncan announced that he would take advantage of their hospitality and take his bath.

Stealth made hunting so much easier. She procured dinner for the evening with the quick slaying of five quail. How wonderful that they had quail, it was her favorite game bird. They were small though, and she noticed Duncan had a rather healthy appetite, so she made sure to get a couple extra. She used the stream as a guide back to camp. She caught a glimpse of someone moving about just ahead of her, but mostly obscured by the trees. She sensed nothing, but just to be safe, she slipped into stealth and advanced on the obscured image in complete silence.

She picked her way through the trees and realized that there was steam coming off the water here. This must be the hot spring Duncan spoke of. Then it hit her, that's Duncan and he could very well be nude. Oh, she was curious, so very, very curious. She decided she could approach without him knowing it and sneak a peek at this legendary warden thing. It would just take a second and she would be off again.

She crept slowly forward until she could see him clearly. He was definitely well built. He had his back to her and what a fine back it was. She had always been a sucker for wide, muscular shoulders and his build did not disappoint. Her eyes trailed down his back, ever so slowly, relishing every curve of the man's muscles. Now THAT is a fine ass. He began to turn and she feared she was caught, but he was just getting his clothing that he had piled to his left. "Oh, that is certainly legendary", she thought to herself as Duncan's more profound embellishments were exposed to her.

Oh, it had been far too long; she was a weak, weak woman. Mustering all of her strength NOT to tackle the poor, naked man, she turned silently back up the stream from where she had come and then proceeded to take a direct path to the campsite. At least she would not appear to be coming directly from where Duncan had been.

She got to camp just before Duncan, holding the quail up so he could see she had been successful. Aiden appeared shortly after with more firewood. Duncan said he and Aiden would prepare dinner so she could go take a bath. A thought occurred to her, she shouldn't have any idea where this hot spring was. Ahhh, this was perfect. "Duncan, could you point me in the direction of this hot spring? I am aware of the stream's location, but not where we are to bathe, specifically."

"Of course", he replied, "get your things and I will take you there".

She decided it best to pare down her attire before going to the spring and stripped down completely before putting her blouse, leggings and boots back on. The blouse was sheer, but she was wearing a bra and decided that was fine. She emerged from her tent with the necessary items and change of clothes and he motioned for her to follow him. She moved cautiously to the spring's edge as if she had never been this way before.

"Just be careful not to get too close to the source, it gets quite warm and I wouldn't want you burning anything way out here without a proper healer on hand." She giggled and thanked him.

She removed the rest of her clothing and slipped into the warm water. It eased the tension from her muscles and relaxed her in a most pleasant way. Natural hot springs were definitely a gift from God. She used the soap to get the darkspawn blood out of her blouse. While the rest of her gear was extremely resistant to staining and could just be wiped down, this garment required cleaning. She liked the blouse; it made her look a bit like a pirate.

XXX

After she had finished bathing and applying a small amount of leave-in conditioner to her hair, she decided she better get out before she fell asleep. She exited the water and realized it was quite a bit cooler than she had expected. She rushed over to grab her towel, which was, to her surprise, being held out to her by Duncan.

"You are not the only member of our small party skilled in stealth."

Oh, she was caught. He must have known she had tried to secret a peek at him. The smile on that man's face was beyond devilish as he raked his eyes slowly over her naked form while holding the towel out of her reach. Not a difficult thing to do, considering their size difference.

"Now now Erin, you had a lot of time to ogle me, I think it's only fair I be given the same. I do believe you need to turn around though."

She sighed then, he had won yet again. "I guess that is only fair", she said in her best defeated voice. And with that she began to turn so that he may get the same view she appreciated earlier.

"Slowly, if you don't mind."

She looked at him over her shoulder with no small amount of surprise at how very forward he was being.

"Superb view. You are indeed in remarkable shape for your age."

She turned on him then and asked very playfully, "Are you saying I'm old Duncan?" She reached for the towel once again, and he snatched it from her reach, _again_. But this time, he pulled her to him and wrapped the towel, and his arms, around her. She did not resist, rather, she leaned in to him until his warmth enveloped her. The moisture from her recent bath had soaked through his shirt and he could feel her against the skin of his chest and stomach. He reached for her chin and lifted her head so they were looking at each other.

There was an incredible longing reflected in her gaze and Duncan could tell she would not resist him if he asked for more. "You are anything but old Erin." And he kissed her. Reverently and passionately he kissed her. Using her tongue, she teased his upper lip and he took the opportunity to slide his own into her mouth. He deepened the kiss; fingers tangled in her hair at the back of her head.

Just as he was about to begin exploring lower with his other hand, she shivered violently. "I.. I'm sorry, you are freezing!" he said with the sudden realization she could very well get sick if he didn't get her warm quickly. He pulled away and wrapped the towel around her more securely. He helped her pull her clean sleep shirt over her head and turned while she put on her pants. "Get in your bedroll, I will collect your things and bring them to you."

He didn't have to tell her twice, she scurried off while wrapping the towel around her wet hair to help abate some of the cold.

As he gathered Erin's things, Duncan thought he should feel ashamed for behaving so poorly, but it felt so good to let go for once and she was such a delightfully willing participant. He felt young again around her, like the defiant young man he was when he was first conscripted. He determined that he could very well be facing his end, and if that were true, he wasn't going without a fight. Not in this, not with her. He would have this woman before either the Archdemon or his calling took him.

With his resolve firm, he headed back to camp. Glancing at Aiden he said sternly, "You get first watch, four hours, and you may want to put a little distance between yourself and her tent." With that, he retrieved his bed roll from his tent and tapped on Erin's to announce his arrival.

Erin unzipped her tent and Duncan slid in. He watched as she pulled the strange fastening closed again. "That is a remarkable invention" he marveled as he placed her things out of the way before continuing, "Do you mind helping me with these bedrolls?"

Erin wasn't quite sure what to think; maybe he was just concerned about her warmth? Or maybe he had every intention on finishing what he started earlier. "Sure, um, let me see what you have there. We can lay yours beside mine and cover them both with your blanket. My sleeping bag unzips and should cover us both."

Duncan decided she knew what she was doing and just got out of the way while she made up their bed. After she unzipped her sleeping bag, he pulled it from her hands, set it aside, and lifted her deftly into his arms, positioning her on her back before sliding over her and covering her mouth with the most passionate of kisses.

Well, that answers that question, she thought as she mentally giggled with excitement over her good fortune.

Duncan raised himself up so he could remove his tunic. He coached her in to a sitting position so that he could remove her shirt as well. "I think it best we make certain we are properly attired before I attempt to warm you further. Do you mind?" he said motioning to her pants. She raised her hips and began to remove them, but he took matters into his own hands and removed them himself. She was not wearing any small clothes and appeared to be fairly hairless. He was quite intrigued and wondered just how that will feel against his own skin. And what a marvelous view the lack of hair provided. If men from her world were equally hairless, he didn't care. She would have to accept him how the Maker intended.

He quickly removed his own breeches and small clothes and resumed his position on top of her before pulling her bedding over them both. He kept the bulk of his weight from crushing her by resting on his elbows, forearms tucked under her shoulders. He slid one muscular thigh between her legs and positioned the other so that he was straddling her right leg. She moaned lightly as the firmness of his erection slid over her as he moved forward to kiss her again. He groaned into her mouth as he lightly rubbed himself against her where they met. She returned the favor with every light thrust.

Breathlessly he asked her, "Are you feeling warmer now?", never stopping the light movement of his hips.

"I'm very certain you can make me much, much warmer", was her reply. He chuckled mischievously as he nibbled and licked her lips.

He shifted his weight to his left leg and pulled his right arm from under her shoulder. Slicking his fingers in his mouth, he began teasing her hard nipples while he openly appraised her exposed torso. He made certain the fire was on her side of the tent when he positioned them so his view would not be completely obstructed by shadows. He was no novice and he wanted to see every inch of this woman as he took his pleasure from her. Not being able to stand the waiting further he lowered his head to suckle each nipple in turn, while he slid his hand between her legs. She was so incredibly wet. He was going to make this last, even if it tortured them both.

He lifted her so she was as far forward in the tent as possible, leaning her back against some clothes he placed there to keep her comfortable. He then slowly traced his tongue down her abdomen. She moaned as his fingers played across the folds between her legs, all the while his mouth getting closer and closer to its destination. He had not tasted a woman in a very long time and was going to dine well tonight.

She gasped as his lips and tongue finally met their target. Gently, he slid a finger inside her, probing for her particular pleasure zone. When she moaned out and shuddered, he knew he had found his mark. He licked and suckled her, playing with her with his finger until he could feel her leg muscles tighten. He withdrew all of his attentions at once and pulled her back down to the bedrolls so they were facing each other. "We have four hours and I intend to use every minute of them well." And with that comment he thrust inside her.

He was not a small man by any means and he filled her completely. She arched involuntarily at the pleasure of it and he grasped and lifted her bottom so they did not lose contact. She peaked almost instantly and he smiled into her neck as he bit her in victory. He had not lost his touch. They continued to tease and excite each other for the next two hours until they were both exhausted and spent many times over.

Duncan pulled her sleeping bag back over them both and kissed her sweetly. Tracing his fingers along her jaw and staring happily in to her smiling eyes, he kissed her nose. "You, my delicious bedmate, are a most welcome and unexpected gift to find along the road. I think The Maker, and God, have a very interesting sense of humor, don't you agree?"

"Mmmmhmmmm, I do. Perhaps they are in league together and we are both part of a grand experiment to see what happens when their soldiers meet on the field of battle."

He chuckled, "Perhaps, if so, they certainly got an eyeful tonight."

She snuggled into the warmth of his embrace, sleep tugging at her for control, "They certainly did." And she drifted off into a most blissful sleep.

Duncan watched her for a while before succumbing himself. Two warriors nestled in each other's arms in the contented sleep of spent lovers.

~TBC~

_A/N This is my very first foray into smut and I blame WitchWeaver completely. Are you happy now? I have delved the depths of my own depravity for you!_

_So here's the deal. I never, ever meant for the Traveler and Duncan to get so, shall we say, close. I am really not sure what this will do with the rest of my story line. In some ways, it fits right in with some of my planned angst, and in others it totally screws up later chapters and introduces what will most likely be unplanned angst._

_As usual, please review and let me know what you think. Any glaring grammatical errors? Any serious continuity issues? Do you like how Erin's character is developing so far?_

_Sorry for pulling this back and reposting after editing. Learned a valuable lesson, do not post when tired._


	5. Chapter 5: While in Rome, or Ostagar

Prayer for the Traveler

_A/N All passages in Spanish are translated in to English at the end of the chapter for convenience._

Chapter 5: When in Rome, or Ostagar

May 2, 2010

Duncan forced himself awake to end the nightmare playing in his mind. This had become all too common and allowed him few, if any, truly restful nights. His stomach growled at him angrily and he realized he and Erin never bothered with dinner. Ah, but an empty stomach was well worth what the two of them had shared.

He looked down at the woman snuggled against him and gently stroked her cheek, moving her disheveled hair so he could admire the beauty of her sleeping features. He had no idea how long he would be allowed this woman's company, but he would make the most of the time they had. The fact that he was at his life's end and she would be swept away from his world when her mission finished struck him as poetic. She would not need to see him go to his calling and he could see her leave knowing he would not have to live long without her.

It was as perfect a pairing as either of them could hope to be allowed.

Stretching his sleeping limbs to encourage his blood back to them, he began searching for his clothing. He chuckled as he took in the disarray of her tent and the clothing strewn about carelessly. It had been a very long time since he woke to such an obvious display of impassioned abandonment and he enjoyed the feeling immensely. It felt good to be bad and he was alive with renewed vigor.

Finally finding the last of his clothing, he dressed and made his way out of the tent, carefully tucking Erin in and trying his best not to wake her.

Once outside, he spotted Aiden by the fire, an all too knowing grin playing across his features. He was nobility after all, and most likely more experienced in sex and romance then most men his age.

Aiden spoke first, "Commander, I'm sure you're quite famished. I have kept the food warm anticipating your return. Let me make you a plate." He set about getting dinner for the man that had saved him just a few days prior. Handing the plate to Duncan, he continued, "Dawn is still at least nine hours away ser, and I see no reason for you to remain awake for another two or three hours. If you wish to retire after your meal, I will gladly stand watch a while longer."

Duncan considered the young man's offer and decided to take it. He wondered if he should wake Erin long enough for her to eat before they both went back to bed. He decided he would let her sleep and force her to eat well before they set off in the morning. Those bars of food she ate didn't seem like they could provide much nourishment. She would need her strength for the pace he planned to set for them on the final push to Ostagar.

He finished his dinner, nodded to Aiden with an appreciative smile and said, "Three hours, no more, and you wake me if I haven't emerged from the tent of my own accord, understood? There is much you will need to accomplish once we arrive at Ostagar and I want you well rested."

Aiden nodded his compliance and Duncan slipped back into Erin's tent.

The young man was pleased that Duncan found such a pleasant diversion in their new companion. He guessed he didn't make much time for his personal needs and was inclined to believe that that was an altogether unhealthy practice. He certainly had exquisite taste; Erin was beautiful and mysterious and her demeanor simply dripped with sex appeal.

If Duncan hadn't claimed her, he would have done his best to seduce her for himself. He was rarely rebuffed in his carnal pursuits and knew that women found him very attractive. His sexual prowess and numerous conquests were the subject of much discussion among the people of Highever, even as far away as the Palace in Denerim. While he felt he was an accomplished lover, there were no doubt countless wonders she could expose him to.

He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and resumed his watchful stance.

XXX

May 3, 2010

Erin was absolutely starving when she awoke several hours later. It wasn't quite dawn yet, but she felt it wasn't far away either. Duncan must have taken over watch as he was painfully absent from her tent. Mmmmmm, Duncan. What an incredible find he was.

Her feminine mind tried to force her in to an analytical musing over what had transpired between them and she told it to shut the hell up. They were both fully grown adults and knew full well that there was no real future for them. They'd been thrown together and together they had decided to make the most of it. That was it, nothing more. No analysis required.

Giggling at the mess that was the contents of her tent, she searched out her armor and weapons before realizing another quick bath was not a bad idea. It had been over 5 years since she woke with the scent of sex clinging to her. While the knowledge of who had left that scent was a pleasant one, she thought it most likely not advisable to meet this King person while perfumed in such a way. But still, she could smell his sweat and musk on her skin and didn't look forward to the loss of it.

She put on some light clothing and her boots, grabbed her damp towel and made her way out of the tent.

Duncan was staring at her as she emerged; a most pleasant smile gracing his masculine features. "Good morning Erin. Aiden is still sleeping, but I will wake him in an hour. You are going to take a quick bath?"

"Yes, I thought it… prudent" she purred back at him.

"There is breakfast here; leftovers from last evening. I will begin heating it and you _will_ eat what I give you when you return. No sustaining yourself with a small bar of, whatever that food is you eat. Understood?"

His commanding tone sent a shiver of delight up her spine. A little role-play was always good foreplay, in her opinion, and being ordered around by this strong man was definitely foreplay. Even if it was just about breakfast.

"Of course Warden Commander. I shall obey your orders faithfully and to the letter, whenever you feel the need to instruct me. You are, after all, my senior and my guide in this world."

She winked at him and licked her lips as she bowed with a flourish before continuing on her way.

Oh, this woman knew what she was doing and seemed to have little by way of inhibition. She turned what should have been a simple insistence that she eat properly in to a game of sexual innuendo. He will enjoy the time they have together indeed.

She returned from her bath and happily ate everything on the plate Duncan handed her. Aiden was up and packing and Duncan had packed as well. It looked like they would be waiting on her. Perfect, the consummate professional mercenary, deadly and devious, quickly reduced to the stereotypes of her gender. Last to be ready to leave for the party, and probably still not happy with her hair.

Erin rolled her eyes at the idea and proceeded to dress and pack. She was ready to leave no more than fifteen minutes after she finished eating. She may be last to strike camp, but she knew how to dress and pack quickly. She was, after all, a Traveler and by the very definition of her order was more than efficient in this activity.

She came across her digital camera while packing and decided she wanted a picture of the two men who first greeted her in the place. It would be impossible to do so once they reached Ostagar. She exited her tent and explained the device to the men, showing them some photos already on the camera as an example.

They happily agreed even though they had no idea what she expected of them. She said simply, "Pretend you're having your portrait done, only without all the formality." They continued to fidget and she decided she would have to intervene if this was going to get done. She had them stand next to each other, arms folded at their chests, and then turned ever so slightly towards each other.

"Smile for Pete's sake! Or do I have to tickle you both?" They smiled and she quickly took a couple of pictures, secretly getting a close-up of Duncan's head and shoulders, and then told them they were done. She showed them the results and both men were quite pleased and amazed with the device.

Duncan asked Aiden to scout ahead a little so he could talk to Erin and pointed him in the correct direction. He went to Erin, who was staring at the image on her camera. He lifted her head, looked deeply into her watery eyes in acknowledgment, gently kissed her lips, and turned to follow Aiden.

XXX

They arrived at Ostagar just before noon, only having to deal with the occasional darkspawn on the way. Erin was overwhelmed with the beauty and size of the ruin. She walked through the arched passages in awed silence as she swept her hand over the intricate carvings of the architecture. A smile playing at her mouth at the delight of what she was seeing.

She had been to the Great Wall of China and other ruins on Earth, but this made them all small and insignificant in comparison. It was hard not to imagine it covered in studious archeologists, carefully digging for hidden artifacts and cataloging every stone. In her world, this would be the find of the century.

The grandeur was not lost on Aiden and the two of them smiled at each other as they both took in the wonder of the place. If it weren't for that pesky darkspawn horde, they would probably enjoy the day together exploring the cavernous structure like a couple of kids in a newly built fort.

Duncan regarded her with pride as he watched her delight in the place. She obviously respected history and was reveling in how much of it surrounded her. What a vision she was when she was so enraptured. Bringing himself out of his appreciative reverie, he beckoned her over.

"I am glad to see you have an eye for history and that the ruins delight you, however, it is time for you to adopt your new persona. Let us make haste to the Grey Warden camp."

Erin slipped into her role as an exiled Antivan Crow and replied, "A medida que lo preguntas a mí, que sea hecho. Por favor, plomo en; lo hago disfrutar de la vista como sigo."

Duncan folded his arms across his chest and looked down his nose at her in mock sternness, "You are incorrigible, you know that don't you?"

Adopting a devious grin and not dropping her persona, Erin responded to Duncan's question, "Pero yo sólo hago lo que me pides Comandante. Usted ha dicho que Antivan cuervos utilizan a menudo la seducción para acercarse a sus objetivos, no? He decidido que mi alter ego utiliza esta habilidad particular, bien ya menudo. También ha dicho que a menudo son Antivans coqueta. Usted me castigaría por seguir sus órdenes tan plenamente? Muy bien, si he de recibir una paliza por mi indiscreción, que presentará con gusto cuando usted decide dar a mí. Usted es un cruel capitán Duncan tarea."

Erin lowered her head and sighed in mock disappointment then waved her arm in a flourish in front of her as if to say "lead on".

Duncan chuckled and shook his head in defeat before continuing on to the Warden Camp. Without turning, he added, "I would appreciate it if you did not show quite so much flourish in front of the King, Teryn and Revered Mother. I should think even a Crow would know their place in front of certain audiences."

"Of course Duncan. I shall be the embodiment of respect and self control when required." She decided he had had enough and this _was_ serious, after all.

They didn't get much further before they were approached by a small group of men, led by a man in ridiculously flashy, plate armor. If he isn't the King, he should be, Erin thought.

As she saw more and more of the armor and weaponry used here, she was better able to determine what type of society she was in. The armor was very much like that of Medieval England. They did not seem to have any technology really; even their weaponry was archaic by her standards. But, they had magic and that was certainly a departure from Earth. She looked forward to seeing it in practice, on someone else, of course.

Duncan strode confidently to King Cailin and they clasped forearms in greeting. Duncan introduced him to Aiden and the two men briefed the King about the events at Highever. Erin stood behind them with her hood drawn over her head.

As they talked, she thought to herself, "You don't see me, you don't see me, you don't… DAMN!"

Cailin's eyes wandered to Erin as they talked. Duncan decided he better intercede before the King's curiosity forced him to directly address the woman.

"This is Erin, your majesty. We made her acquaintance on our way here from Highever. She is a skilled fighter from Antiva and wishes to aid Ferelden against the blight."

Erin stepped forward and removed her hood, crossing her arms at her chest and bowing to match Aiden's greeting for the King.

The King smiled at her. "Well met Erin. We most certainly appreciate and welcome your assistance. May I ask where you were trained and from what part of Antiva you hail?"

Duncan interjected, "That is a somewhat sensitive topic your majesty, and one I would prefer to speak of in a more private setting."

"I am intrigued Duncan, but I'm afraid it will have to wait until after the battle. Loghain continues to hound me concerning strategy and protocol, and the Revered Mother has been in a frightful mood all day. I will not be able to avoid her much longer."

Turning to Erin, the King took her hand and pressed a chaste kiss to her knuckles. "I'm sure you have many fascinating stories from your homeland; I look forward to hearing them."

And with that, the royal entourage made its way across the large bridge, back to their encampment.

Duncan let out a sigh of relief. It appeared they may be able to avoid discussing Erin's presence entirely if everyone is kept preoccupied with pre-battle infighting and preparations.

Duncan turned to Aiden and gave him instructions to check out the camp and find another Grey Warden named Alistair. There were two other recruits he should introduce himself to as well, Ser Jory and Daveth. He was not to take too long and Alistair would be able to find Duncan when it was time to prepare for The Joining. He was also not to get in to details about Erin with any of them.

Turning to Erin, "You can share my tent until the battle. While it may raise a few eyebrows within my order, it will not be an issue. Being Warden Commander does have its… privileges." He smiled at her lecherously. "Please, follow me, I will show you around."

"These privileges you speak of, do they include time to practice one's _skills_ prior to battle?"

Duncan lightly grabbed Erin's forearm and pulled her to a secluded area just ahead of the bridge. He turned her and gently pressed her against the wall of the alcove with the weight of his body. He wrapped one arm around her lower back and used the other to grab a fistful of her hair at the back of her head. He pulled at her hair so she faced him as he leaned down and kissed her, hard and demanding, slipping his tongue into her mouth. He let go of her hair and slipped his hand into her bodice, lightly thumbing a nipple as he deepened the kiss.

He moved his mouth to her ear, licking and nibbling the lobe before whispering, "I assure you, I have no intention of entering battle without tasting you again. I have a plan that should allow us about two hours alone. There is also the matter of your punishment for your earlier behavior. I would be remiss in my duties if I did not follow through with your sentencing. You are to do exactly as I tell you during your punishment. Do you understand?" His voice had lowered to a husky growl by the time he finished.

She was panting with lust and her half-lidded eyes betrayed her arousal to him. With a quivering, breathless whisper she responded, "I will obey and submit to your instruction fully Commander, you have my promise."

He released her from his hold and allowed her to step away from the wall, never moving his eyes from hers. He turned slightly and motioned for her to move ahead. She sauntered past him and before she could get out of range, he lifted the skirting of her armor, brought his hand back, and with as much force as he thought she could handle, smacked her hard on the ass. He goosed her for good measure before letting go of her apparel.

She jerked forward slightly at the action but let out not so much as a whimper. She looked at him over her shoulder with a devious grin, purring in a stream of rolled r's. And then she did her best Charro impersonation, bringing her hands above her head, wrists together, and shook what the good Lord gave her.

Duncan broke down in howling laughter, barely composing himself as they emerged from their hiding spot and proceeded across the bridge. Maker's breath, she was intoxicating. He wondered if all women on her world were so open with their sexuality. If they were, he thought it a miracle they ever got anything done there.

~TBC~

_A/N I have made minor corrections to chapters 1-4, as well as some small changes in Chapters 3 and 4. There is some additional insight into Erin's personality and you may want to re-read them._

_Again, I am using Google Translate and can only hope it is correct. When I take the English to Spanish translated text and have it returned back to English, it usually isn't very close to what I had originally typed in English. My limited knowledge of Spanish, however, tells me that this is probably to be expected._

_Translated text, in order of appearance:_

_Erin_

_As you ask it of me, let it be done. Please lead on; I do so enjoy the view as I follow._

_But I am only doing as you ask Commander. You did say that Antivan Crows often use seduction to get closer to their targets, did you not? I have decided that my alter ego used this particular skill well and often. You also said that Antivans are often flirtatious. You would punish me for following your orders so fully? Very well, if I must receive a spanking for my indiscretion, I shall submit willingly when you choose to give it to me. You are a cruel task master Duncan._


	6. Chapter 6: Educating Alistair

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 6: Educating Alistair

_**A/N: Warning, major smut follows…**_

May 3, 2010

After quickly stowing their packs in Duncan's tent, they made their way back to the main encampment. Duncan steered them through the maze of tents, infirmaries and makeshift chapels to a massive bonfire. This was where Aiden, Alistair and the other recruits were to meet them.

While they waited, Duncan asked her to tell him more about San Diego. She lived in an area called "Downtown" which was a cluster of tall buildings sitting at the edge of a bay. She told him of the ports where large cruise ships docked and of the massive military vessel named The Midway that had been decommissioned there, the night life and restaurants. It sounded like a wonderful place to live.

She told him about airplanes and automobiles, best described as a horseless carriage for his purposes.

She said the weather there was nearly perfect year round and with a fairly short drive from her home; you could visit the mountains, the beach, the desert, or even another country.

Before she could continue, the rest of their party arrived and Duncan set about giving them instructions on preparing for The Joining. They were to collect darkspawn blood and some documents, treaties he said.

Alistair seemed like a nice enough man, though not very old. Mid-twenties she suspected, very well built and handsome. Duncan had chastised him for causing trouble earlier with the Revered Mother, or a mage, something like that. After his scolding, he looked like a puppy that had just peed on the carpet. Not very manly, in her opinion.

Daveth was a mischievous man. While it was hard to miss his leering and side-mouthed grins, he looked like he had seen his share of bar fights. He seemed practical and grounded. She decided she liked him.

Ser Jory was skittish as hell and looked like he would jump at his own shadow. He seemed to be lost in some fantasy land filled with stories of knights and heroes. She thought it odd that Duncan had picked him to become one of the legendary Grey Wardens. He didn't look like he had the stomach for it to her.

She had a queasy feeling at the mention of the blood; in her estimation, there was only one reason for it. Duncan said he could sense Darkspawn and they could sense him. He said that their blood was tainted and could kill a person. He said that the Archdemon called out to them through the taint. She was pretty sure she was spot on when she guessed these young men would be drinking it, and that they may not all survive the process.

Well, nice knowing you Ser Jory. Actually, she thought with how cruel fate was, Ser Jory would make it and Daveth wouldn't. Ahh, she had to stop this; these were horribly insensitive thoughts she was having.

She was very concerned for Aiden. She had come to genuinely like the young man and he had already been through so much. She would be deeply hurt if he died. She will pray for them all.

He told Aiden, Ser Jory and Daveth to give him some time with Alistair and Erin and asked them to go wait at the gate.

"Alistair, this is Erin. She has a very interesting background and unique abilities to help against the blight. This is to be kept between us. I will explain everything when you return from the wilds, so please, seek us out the moment you come back to camp. We should be at my tent."

Alistair appraised Erin with a puzzled look on his face, tilting his head to the side like a confused puppy as he looked over her armor and weapons. "If she is to undergo The Joining, shouldn't she come with us?"

"She will not be undertaking The Joining. I assure you, this will all make sense when I explain it later. Now go, take care of your recruits, but don't coddle them. And we must have those treaties. Maker watch over you."

"And you Duncan." Alistair turned and joined the recruits at the gate. Erin and Duncan watched as they disappeared into The Wilds.

XXX

Duncan sighed and turned to Erin, "Now, I believe there is the matter of your punishment to attend to. Let us return to my tent immediately so I can carry out your sentence."

Again, he led them through the maze of the main encampment to the area reserved for the Grey Wardens. When they got to his tent, he held the flap open for her and motioned for her to enter.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Please, make yourself comfortable while I get us something to eat. I would order you to undress in my absence, but there is a chance I could be detained or possibly have company when I return. I have been gone for some time and I am the Warden Commander. It is best you remain clothed, for now. I will return shortly."

Erin sincerely hoped he would not be detained and he would not return with anyone else.

His tent was very nicely appointed and quite large. It was befitting a military officer of high rank. It must have been over twelve feet tall at the center pole and any man could easily walk the entire thing without ever brushing their head on the canvas roof. The canvas was a light grey color with large blue stripes; the symbol of his order adorned each tent flap. Close to the entrance was a meeting table and chairs sitting on a large, circular rug with the same symbol woven in to it. There was a wash basin on a small table on one side of the tent. A shaving mirror was positioned above the table and attached to a vertical tent support.

A large dressing screen stood between the table and the bed. She peeked behind the screen. Tucked in the corner of the tent were a large wooden wash tub and another small, wooden tub that looked like… "Oh lord no, that's a glorified bed pan, that's what that is." she thought to herself. The idea of relieving herself where Duncan could clearly hear her sent panic through her body. "Buck up soldier," she told herself, "this is war babe and it ain't meant to be pretty."

At least there was a small stack of clean towels next to the wash tub.

The bed was basically a pile of furs over a linen encased mattress of some sort of material, all contained in a simple wooden structure. It appeared the entire thing could be disassembled easily when not in use. There was a cover sheet and two blankets on top of the furs and several pillows scattered about. It looked very comfortable. She loved a soft bed, and this was definitely soft. On the right side of the bed was a trunk topped with a couple of books and a lantern.

She decided to see what Duncan read in bed and walked over to the trunk. One book appeared to be about the Old Gods and Tevinter. He had told her, on their first day together, that they were what caused blights. The other appeared to be the history of his order, The Grey Wardens. "All business then" she thought to herself.

The tent flap opened as Duncan entered. He balanced a tray of food in one hand while holding the flap open with the other. Apparently, they were to have guests after all. "Major bummer" Erin thought.

Three men entered, each carrying two buckets. They proceeded behind the dressing screen and Erin could hear them empty the buckets in to the wash tub. Much to Erin's relief, they promptly left once their task was complete.

Duncan tied the tent flaps closed, placed the tray of food on the table and walked to Erin. He leaned down and kissed her and then backed away saying simply "Stay". He grabbed the armor stand near the dressing screen and placed it next to Erin. He then sat on the bed, reclining back on his elbows. When she started towards him, he shook his head from side to side and held his hand out, motioning for her to stop. "Stand right there and remove all of your armor, weapons and clothing."

She did as she was told. The process would have been faster if she had been familiar with armor stands, but she muddled through just the same.

Duncan watched his prize intently as she obeyed him. He was curious to see exactly what was involved in all that metal, leather and fabric. It was like watching a present unwrap itself, full with the promise of delight.

She removed her gauntlets and he caught a glimpse of the hidden blades within them. She unbuckled the strap that held her cloak, shoulder reinforcements and throwing knives in place and looped it over a peg on the stand. Her armored belt was next, followed by the metal and leather vest that protected her back and chest. The elaborately skirted, cloth and leather tunic was unzipped and draped over the armor stand.

He chuckled at the site of the dagger that had been hidden until now. She unbuckled the sheath from her waist and thigh and draped the holder over another peg.

She stood in only her leather breeches, boots and that lovely blouse. "May I have a stool to sit on Commander, to remove my boots?"

He said nothing while he retrieved the small stool from behind the dressing screen and set it next to her before returning to his place on the bed. "Continue please. I fear this is taking longer than I expected. That uniform of yours is more elaborate than I'd guessed."

"Thank you, you're very generous."

She sat down and pulled off her boots, setting them next to the armor stand. One fell over and a yet another small dagger slipped from its hidden sheath to the floor. She looked at it, then at Duncan and shrugged her shoulders while he chuckled.

Standing again, she unzipped her pants and removed them, revealing a portion of her body suit. She then removed her blouse to reveal the rest.

"Maker's breath woman, how much more is there? I'm beginning to think _I_ am the one being punished."

She laughed hard at his comment. "Oh, I know, I know. But this thin garment you see before you is quite the life saver. It repels ballistics and cannot be cut by most weapons."

"Well, remove it and hand it to me then. I wish to inspect this marvel."

She did as she was ordered. Down to nothing but her bra and panties, he motioned her to him.

"You can explain this later, and these I will remove myself." He ran a finger along the edge of her low-rise, lacy underwear before slipping them down her legs to the floor. She had a rather serious scar just above her mound, running horizontally from hip to hip, and strange scars around her belly button. He didn't want to think about what had caused such a horrible wound.

He stood and examined her bra, determining it beyond his current skill level, he told her to remove it. He placed one hand on each of her shoulders and urged her to back away from him.

"I had noticed you have several tattoos, but I was not able to see the detail before. Turn around."

She did as he asked and braced herself for what she assumed would be the commencement of her punishment. Instead, she felt his fingers tracing the tattoos on her back. She felt his hand brush over the scars on her left shoulder and lower spine and winced slightly.

"Even more back here. I have never seen such intricate work before, and never anything with such coloration. And a dragon no less, curious. These must have been very painful. I would like to know what each of them means, but not now. Get in the tub; I will join you in a moment."

She was relieved he hadn't asked about the scars. Talk about a mood killer.

Again, she did as she was told. Moments later, a gloriously naked Duncan appeared. The tent was quite light inside since it was early afternoon still and this was by far the best look she had had of him. He was very dark skinned, powerfully built and extremely toned. He was gloriously endowed and already showing his arousal. His hair was out of its normal pony tail and it framed his masculine face in the most tantalizing way.

Duncan noted the appreciation in her gaze and smirked knowingly at her, "Move up so I can climb in behind you."

He slipped in to the water, his large erection sliding down her back as he settled himself behind her. She chuckled in to a moan at the sensation. Soaping up a small towel, he began washing her. He rinsed the soap from her exposed skin with his hands and then gently washed her hair, messaging her scalp in the process.

"Mmmmmmm", escaped her lips as he bathed her.

"You are far too content for someone who is being punished." He placed a hand on each of her shoulders and pushed her head under the water. He pulled her back up, laughing at his own actions.

When he was certain she was sufficiently clean, he ordered her out of the tub. "Dry off and get in bed, face down. Turn down the bedclothes, but you are not to cover yourself with them. Understood?"

"Understood."

She lay on her belly on the furs of the bed tingling with anticipation. So far, this was anything but punishment.

He emerged from the dressing screen with a towel around his waist, showing only a hint of his previous arousal. He knelt on the bed and crawled over to her, straddling her hips. Pulling the towel from his waist, he leaned over her lithe body and pressed his chest in to her back, making sure his endowments nestled between the cleft of her buttocks. She could feel the pressure as he hardened against her.

He gathered her hair up to expose her neck and then attacked it with his mouth. He bit and sucked at the skin, making sure to leave his mark on the skin he assaulted. "You will wear this in to battle tonight."

He may not have her long, but he would claim her just the same.

He sat back and pulled a small vial of oil from his pack at the side of the bed and proceeded to oil himself slick. He slowly slid himself up and down her bottom, coaxing his arousal harder and harder.

She quivered beneath him. She hoped he had not planned an alternate entry because he was far too large for her to be accommodating to such an action. Much to her relief, that did not seem to be his intention.

He dismounted and lay on his back beside her, propped up on his elbows. In a voice thick with desire, he revealed his intentions. "I assume you know how to pleasure a man. I order you to do so, now. You will taste me as I have tasted you. If you require more lubrication, here is a vial of oil." He handed her the oil and looked at her with a burning lust in his eyes.

She didn't think she had ever seen a man more attractive than Duncan was at that moment. The look in his eyes was primal and animalistic.

She put a little oil in one palm and then rubbed her hands together to coat them. She coaxed his legs open and knelt between his massive thighs. She leaned down and gently grasped his erection with one hand as the other slide down to play with the large sack between his legs. She lowered her head and replaced that hand with her mouth, licking and suckling the sensitive package while her hands paid homage to his erection. Her fingers danced along his length, tracing circles around the base of his hood while her thumbs took turns teasing the tip.

He watched her intently as she carried out his order. She was just as dexterous off the field, and very good with her hands.

She glided her tongue along the bottom of his shaft. She circled the tip with her tongue while the other hand tightened around him and slide up and down his length. And then she took him into her mouth, tongue wrapping around and around his shaft and tip as she slid her lips up and down in a slow, steady rhythm. Her hand making up the distance she did not dare try to swallow.

He threw his head back and moaned loudly at the pleasure of her touch. He leaned forward again and grasped her hair with his right hand, watching her as she pleasured him.

She moaned in to his erection at his touch and he shuddered with the additional sensation. She continued to moan softly while she sucked and licked his length, never stopping her tender ministrations on the package between his legs. She occasionally pulled her mouth from him to lavish every delectable inch with her tongue before sliding him inside again.

He was becoming undone with her attentions and he didn't want it to end so quickly. "En.. enough, come… come here", he stammered, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward him. He took her head in his hands and crushed his mouth to hers with enough passion to light the lantern next to them, if it were possible.

He was breathless and panting, he smiled at her and said, "You are", he breathed in deeply, the air whooshing out of him when he released it, "very talented indeed. If we wish this to last, I need just a moment to collect myself."

She smiled shyly at his compliment and laid herself against his chest, listening to his heart beat furiously from the passion she stirred in him.

"Hmmmm, I believe I am ready to continue. Get on your hands and knees."

She complied and he moved to kneel behind her. He slid his hand between her legs and began massaging her with his fingers, teasing her with his thumb until she began trembling with pleasure. He positioned himself at her entrance and entered her, just a little, right hand flat against the small of her back. His eyes glued to their joining, he pushed in and pulled out, over and over, varying the depth, reveling in the sight of their lovemaking.

When he felt she had become sufficiently adjusted to his size, he grasped her hips and thrust in to her fully, their bodies slapping together as he buried himself in her, again and again. Almost withdrawing completely before thrusting back again. Every few thrusts he slapped his cupped hand to her bottom, then he would caress her strongly with both. He administered her sentence slowly while he took his pleasure from her.

He oiled his fingers, leaned over her and slid his hand to her breasts, messaging her nipples in turn. She was moaning softly and shuddering against his chest. Her hips were set in a rolling, circular motion, matching his thrusts. He leaned back again, sliding his oil slicked fingers around her leg and between her thighs, coaxing moans and squeals from her with his fingers.

He gently messaged her other entrance with more oil slicked fingers. She pressed back in to him, begging him to slide them into her and he did. He matched the motion of his fingers to the thrust of his hips, while his other hand played her like a harp,

She buried her face in a pillow and cried out his name with her climax, clutching fistfuls of fur and bedding, her entire body shaking and shuddering with the force of it. Duncan joined her, moaning low and long, his voice turning in to a growl against her neck as he peeked and spilled into her.

They stayed like that for a few moments, neither one of them trusting their limbs to movement. Duncan steadied himself above her with shaking arms, his forehead pressed against the nape of her neck. He shuddered again as he withdrew from her and flopped onto his back.

Neither of them felt they had any strength to move for quite some time. Long moments later, Duncan turned to his side, propped up on his elbow with his head resting on his hand. She lay in what appeared to be a waking coma on her stomach, face turned to him, smiling. He put a finger tip to her left shoulder and playfully pushed her with it.

"_You_ are a dangerous woman Traveler."

She smiled against the bedding, "Me? I believe _you_ were calling all the shots in this particular romp Warden Commander. Hmmph. There you go again, admonishing me for simply following orders. You won't inspire obedience with this behavior, I hope you know that."

He threw his head back and laughed before leaning down to kiss her cheek. Just then, his arm gave out and he smacked his forehead against her temple.

"Ouch! Now your head butting me? You Fereldens have very strange courting rituals."

He couldn't apologize, they were both laughing too hard at the ridiculousness of what had just happened to a tender moment.

Just then, they heard a rather nervous Alistair clear his throat outside the tent. "Eh… Excuse me… Duncan… but we have… I mean… oh sod it, we're back. I.. er… You seem to be otherwise um... _occupied_ at the moment. Shall I return… later? Maybe?" His voice was a squeak as he finished his question.

Erin and Duncan covered their mouths to suppress and dampen their laughter. Duncan tried to get serious enough to respond to Alistair, but his attempts were throwing Erin into a veritable fit of uncontrollable giggles. She was too spent to muster the energy to calm herself. Finally, Duncan slapped her hard on her ass and she yelped.

"Alistair, give us fifteen minutes. Go get yourself a plate of food and bring it back, we'll eat together. We should be ready to talk when you return. I want you to get two Wardens to patrol the tent to insure our privacy."

"Ahh, ok… I'll… be back shortly then."

They heard the poor man scurry off in a hurry, probably wanting to avoid hearing anything else that may emanate from Duncan's tent.

Duncan fell back on the bed and massaged his forehead with his fingers, "I wonder how long he was pacing out there waiting to announce himself. Poor boy, he was raised in the Chantry; I don't think he has any experience with women."

"Well, depending on how long he was out there, he may have received a bit of an education."

"You… are not helping."

"I'm sorry Duncan, I didn't mean…" He stopped her with a finger to her lips.

"Do not let it worry you. Let's clean up and get dressed. I want you in all your armored splendor when we reveal your identity to him."

They washed up and dressed quickly. Duncan untied the tent flaps and moved to sit at the table. They both looked at the untouched platter of food and laughed. Sitting down to join him, Erin chuckled, "We may starve to death, but we'll die with smiles on our faces."

~TBC~

_A/N: This is an extremely smut-laden chapter, I know. Duncan appears to bring out the little devil in me. Witchweaver, you have created a monster!_

_It was difficult to get all the timing right here to make their alone time plausible, let me know if I missed the mark anywhere._

_As always, thank you to my Beta, Zevgirl. You rock! Please check out her stories, she is very talented. _

_Thanks for the story alerts everyone! And please, let me know if you catch typos and I will fix them.  
_

_Cheers!_


	7. Chapter 7: All the King's Horses

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 7: All the Kings Horses

May 3, 2010

Alistair returned and Duncan called for him to enter. He moved to the meeting table, set his plate down and took a seat next to Duncan, across from Erin.

"Alistair, it is good to finally meet you. I trust no one came to harm in The Wilds?" Erin said in greeting, but also seeking reassurance that Aiden had made it back in one piece.

"And you as well. We sustained only superficial injuries and they have been healed. Thank you… for your concern."

"Excellent question Erin. Alistair, did you acquire the necessary items and retrieve the treaties?"

"We did Duncan, however, the treaties had been secreted away by two very strange women, and I think they may have been apostates."

Duncan mentioned something about "Wilders" and reminded Alistair that apostates were not the concern of the Grey Wardens.

Turning to Erin, and with no small amount of blush on his cheeks at being scolded yet again in her presence, Alistair joked, "You know, you could give the Templars a run for the money on who has the most stylish apparel."

Erin laughed, "Oh, I've seen a couple of them now. I believe they win that contest, hands down."

Duncan decided to get down to business since time was growing short. "Alistair. What we're about to tell you stays with the Wardens, understood?"

"Yes Duncan, always."

"Good. This is going to sound incredible, and it certainly is, but I assure you, I am not playing a joke on you and am very serious."

Duncan and Erin explained exactly who and what she was. She showed Alistair her Katana, and even removed a boot so he could see her body suit. They showed him the gear they had hidden from others, including the camera.

Erin explained some of the concepts of her religion to him and how they affected her "job".

Alistair, to his credit, listened intently to everything they told him, asking thoughtful questions when he needed them to elaborate. He occasionally interjected humorous comments; apparently this was something he did when he became uncomfortable. Not quite as implacable as Duncan, but close. It surprised her.

When they had explained and shown him all they felt they could, Duncan turned to Erin, "I believe now, in the privacy of this tent and our compound, would be a good time for you to assume your true form. I want Alistair and me to be prepared for it before we are in the thick of battle. Everyone is nearly finished with preparations and we can safely expose your presence to the Archdemon. I do not sense it near us, but I cannot know how that affects you."

"Certainly Duncan. Just… turn on all of your lanterns. I _glow_ a bit. Also, my voice will be different and you should be prepared for that. The same, but I won't exactly be human anymore and it takes on a rather, ethereal quality. It can be… overwhelming I guess is the best word to describe it."

Alistair and Duncan set about the tent, lighting all of the lanterns. Erin stood in the middle of the tent and spread her arms slightly out from her sides. Her body began to sparkle in millions of blue-white specs of light. Her form shifted, starting at her fingertips, spreading up her arms, across her torso and finally to her legs and head.

Her armor and weapons seemed to disappear as they were replaced with the armor of The Traveler. Her eyes changed from amber-green to the blue-white light of her order. Her head was encased in an intricate, dark silver helmet with blue light flickering at every edge.

Every inch of her was covered in overlapping scales of varying size, depending on their location, each the same dark silver of her helmet; the same blue light flickering over their edges. At her shoulders, the scales were large and curved like the pauldrons of plate armor; her knees and elbows were covered in a similar fashion.

She held out her right hand and instantly summoned a longsword. Slightly bending her left arm, she instantly summoned a shield, and then a large spike in its center that would impale whatever it contacted. Suddenly she wielded two daggers; a moment later, a greatsword, a double bladed axe, a compound bow, and finally, a Kyoketsu-shoge, its chain extending and contracting on demand.

The transformation from one weapon to another was almost indistinguishable; each a marvel of elegant craftsmanship, scroll work and light. They appeared to have been forged by a master craftsman at the pinnacle of his profession and infused with his very essence.

She walked towards them, hands empty, reached her hand out to Alistair and said "Hello, I am The Traveler. It is a pleasure to meet you." He shook it tentatively as he struggled to make sense of everything he just saw, shivering at the sensation that traveled in to him at her touch. "Was she… taller?" he asked to himself.

She turned to Duncan, crossed her arms on her chest and bowed, "I am at your service Warden Commander. It will be an honor to fight at your side." Her voice was both beautiful and strangely haunting, as if there were twenty of her talking at once, each with a minutely different pitch, each echoing at the same frequency.

Alistair and Duncan were speechless. She was indeed taller in this form and her eyes nearly met theirs at her new height.

"Oh, Duncan, I can still do this." She disappeared momentarily, finally bringing him out of his stupor.

"I see you do not lose your sense of humor in the process."

"If you were the enemy, trust me, you would not find me very funny at all."

"You said you can fall from great heights as well. So, could you, like… jump off the edge of this ruin and be fine?" Alistair asked with no small amount of trepidation.

"There is a limit. It has more to do with the distance traveled and its affect on my form as I fall, than the impact itself. The farther the distance, the faster I travel, the harder it is to maintain the form. I do try to avoid it if possible."

"I guess I understand. Maybe. Wow. I mean, WOW! That… You're… WOW!" Alistair stammered as he moved back to the table and sat down with a thud.

Erin leaned in to Duncan and whispered, "I see a preview was a good idea."

"Alistair, kindly look in the other direction for a moment" Duncan said before he kissed her. A tingling glow emanated from the kiss and tickled his lips and senses. "I just had to know what that felt like." He said grinning at her. "You can turn around again Alistair."

"I never, actually, had a chance to turn Duncan. Soooo, you two are definitely… interesting. And you've known each other for what, three days, maybe four?" Alistair said while shaking his head from side to side.

"That is not open to discussion. She is nearly my age and we are both fully capable of making our own decisions." Duncan wasn't angry and the statement was more of a gentle warning than anything else. "It is past time to meet with the recruits and begin the joining. Alistair, gather them and meet me at the bonfire, I'll just be a moment."

Erin slipped out of her form and adjusted her armor while she waited for Alistair to leave.

Duncan breathed deeply with the weight of what was ahead of him. "Erin, I'm afraid you will have to remain behind while we complete the ritual. Protocol demands that only Grey Wardens attend The Joining. Afterward, I must meet with the King and Teryn to finalize our strategy, and then we march to war.

"I would have liked to have you with me at the meeting, but I don't think it's wise. There will be too many questions from the King, the Teryn, maybe even the Revered Mother. Please, remain here in the tent until I come to collect you. We will speak again before the battle when I have a better understanding of where your presence is needed most."

He paused for a very long time, looking in her eyes, memorizing them.

"We will most likely not have another chance to speak privately before then. I want you to know that no matter what happens tonight, I have no regrets. Knowing you has been one of the greatest honors of my life; second only to the honor of serving as a Grey Warden. I have lived more fully with you in three days than I thought possible in a lifetime.

"Live well, honor your order in all that you do. Should I fall tonight, I will do so knowing Ferelden is in your capable hands. Remember me with happiness, never sadness."

Erin was wearing her warrior's armor of honor and duty. They knew this was coming and she was a professional. She owed it to Duncan and all of her fallen brethren to remain stoic in the face of great loss; in the service of her mission.

"Duncan, you have my word as a soldier, that I will honor your request. I will not falter; never doubt this. I believe it was no accident that I appeared on your path when I entered this world, and I too, have no regrets. As you ask of me, I ask the same. Be happy when you think of me and know that I will be doing the same. You will be a precious gem in my memories.

"Duncan, will you indulge me in a prayer before you leave?"

"I am happy to."

Erin knelt and placed her hands together, Duncan did the same, kneeling beside her. "Duncan, at the end, when I say "Amen", if it suits you, you may repeat the word yourself to finish the prayer." She bowed her head and closed her eyes.

"The Lord is my Shephard; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul:

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His names' sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil; For thou art with me;

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;

Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the House of the Lord Forever.

Amen"

Duncan repeated her, "Amen".

They both rose, facing each other. Erin stood before Duncan, feet together; back straight, arms to her sides. She raised her right hand to her forehead and saluted Duncan with the discipline of a veteran soldier. "That is how we salute where I come from."

Duncan returned the gesture in traditional Ferelden style. He smiled warmly at her before leaving to attend to his men.

XXX

Another joining and two more men lay dead; one slain by his own hand. He had become increasingly wary of Ser Jory's demeanor upon arriving at Ostagar. The young man had grown more timid and fearful with every new task set before him. He had widowed a woman he would never know and left an unborn child without a father with one strike of his dagger.

Fate was unkind to Daveth as well. It was always painful to see the hope and promise of a new recruit leech out of their eyes as the taint took them, but Daveth's death was a particularly hard blow. He had seen himself in the younger man; a mirror to who he was when Commander Genevieve conscripted him so many years before.

At least one of them had lived and Aiden would make a fine Grey Warden. His upbringing as a Noble would serve the Order well as politics were an ever-present challenge they faced. He was also a very capable warrior and his shield and sword prowess was impressive for one so young.

Duncan asked Alistair to fetch Erin and to meet him at the bonfire; he and Aiden would attend the meeting with the King and Teryn and join them there later.

As they walked to meet the King one final time before they were handed over to The Maker's mercy, Duncan reflected on the past few days.

He was confident Erin would survive whatever happened this night, and he truly hoped she would keep her promise. He did not want to be a source of pain for her. She must have seen more than her fair share of death and loss, but she had not taken to a man's bed since joining her order. She was a warrior, but she was also a passionate and giving woman. Women like that tended to mourn their losses profoundly; he had witnessed it first hand in Genevieve's fade dream.

"No regrets," he whispered in affirmation of his promise to Erin.

XXX

Alistair interrupted Erin's meditations to collect her for Duncan. They would have a few moments for him to debrief her before the battle would begin. She grabbed her pack and attached it to her back; she could not leave it behind in case the Teryn's strategy failed.

They waited at the large bonfire for Duncan. She saw Aiden and breathed a sigh of relief. She did not, however, see Ser Jory or Daveth. She did not mention it. She didn't have to. Duncan's eyes gave away their fate.

"Erin, you are to accompany me with the King's forces. Aiden and Alistair, you are to climb to the top of the tower and light the beacon, signaling Loghain to attack."

"We won't be fighting?" Alistair asked in a rather impertinent tone.

"Alistair, the King himself requests it. It is imperative the beacon be lit when we give the signal. You know what to look for. You will have about an hour to accomplish your task."

Aiden spoke up then, "I understand Duncan. Are there any reports of darkspawn at the tower?"

"Not that I'm aware of, but there is no safe task and no guarantee you won't encounter any."

"Then we're off. Maker watch over you both. Alistair, best we get moving."

Erin took a moment to call back to Aiden, "God bless you and keep you Aiden." He turned back and saluted her, smiling in response before rejoining Alistair.

Erin slipped in to form at Duncan's urging as they made their way to the main forces. Before they could get to them, however, a breathless guard caught up to them.

"The tower is overrun with Darkspawn Commander. Aiden bid me to ask for reinforcements. He and Alistair are making their way to the tower with the help of a mage, but they are significantly outnumbered."

Duncan and Erin looked at each other in silent agreement of what must be done. "Show me the way" she said as she turned to follow the soldier. She looked back before she crested the hill and their eyes met one last time before he walked out of sight.

"God watch over you Duncan, until we meet again."

XXX

Erin shielded herself and the soldier from the large, fiery missiles the darkspawn launched at the bridge. That it hadn't collapsed was a testament to its ancient builders. The tower was a grizzly scene. The courtyard outside was strewn with dismembered bodies, human and darkspawn alike.

When they entered the tower, Erin knew she was playing a wicked game of catch-up with Aiden and Alistair. She grimly searched the faces of the dead as she made her way through the tower, hoping she would not find them among the corpses. They met no resistance on their way through the various levels of the building. Aiden and Alistair must have been merciless in combat; she thought as they continued up the tower.

As they neared the fourth and final floor, she could hear the sounds of battle. She and the soldier entered the rotunda to find the signal fire had been lit, but Alistair and Aiden lie in pools of blood as the darkspawn advanced on their bodies. Her heart broke at the sight. She turned her attention to the enemy. With both hands, she grasped two emissaries to her and impaled them on summoned daggers. She drew her bow and let fly several arrows, felling the archers.

She felt a rush of wind as a giant bird flew past her, she gasped in horror when she saw Aiden and Alistair both in its grasp.

She quickly felled the remaining enemies, turned to the soldier and said, "I am sorry, but you are on your own, I must get back to the King." She ran to the edge of the roof and launched herself in to the air.

She ran as fast as she possibly could back to the bridge, making her way back to the main battlefield. As she ran down the slope where she had last seen Duncan, her heart sank again. Men were scrambling everywhere. One ran past her screaming at her to flee; the battle was lost. Loghain had quit the field and they were overrun.

She slipped in to stealth and continued anyway. He did not say the King was dead, there was still hope. That hope faded to despair as she surveyed the carnage before her. Darkspawn were busy eating the dead. A very large, horned beast looked enraged as it searched the corpses, for what, she could not know. She saw the remains of some of Cailin's men, then a few Wardens, but there was no sign of Duncan or the King.

She decided this was a futile endeavor. Killing these minions did nothing to end the blight; they would just keep coming. She had made Duncan a promise and she would see it through. She needed to kill the Archdemon; it wasn't here and she had to find someone who knew how to find it. If Duncan lived, they would find each other, God willing.

She slipped out of her form, staying hidden, and followed the path of the others fleeing the battlefield.

~TBC~

_A/N: UPDATE 9/24/10 - I won't have another chapter up until Monday or Tuesday. I am SORRY. I will be out of town and unable to work on the story. I do hope to get 8 and 9 up fairly quickly upon my return, and we may even have Zevran in the group before they are done! _

_Well, we knew a serious chapter was coming, didn't we? No mushy goodbyes for Duncan and Erin, they are professionals, this is war. I can't believe it took me 7 chapters to get out of Ostagar._

_As always, please let me know what you think and PM me if you find typos or grammatical errors. It may be a day or two before the next chapter/s come out. I have to rework some of my timelines and draft a solid outline before I start writing again.  
_

_FYI... In game fun I found while researching Duncan. If you fail at pickpocketing one of the Ash Warriors or the Soldier Daveth talks to, then approach Duncan at the bonfire (before going to the wilds to be safe), you will see a soldier talking to him about you being a thief. You will then get a nice extra dialog bit with Duncan regarding your "skills". It is supposed to work if you fail at with any soldier, but I'm not sure.  
_

_Also, for you Zevran freaks, I have uploaded my Zevran head morph to. OK, it won't let me post the website here, it's on my profile.__ There are in-game images of the morph for you to view before deciding. If you wish to add the file to your game, unzip the file using any ZIP software and place the .mor file named "em_genfl_" (jeez, I can't even put a file name here?) in to your override file. The path to the override file should be..._

_Documents\BioWare\Dragon Age\packages\core\override_

_Hope you like it._

_Cheers!_


	8. Chapter 8: Keep Your Friends Close

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 8: Keep Your Friends Close…

May 5th, 2010

The journey north had been arduous at best; Erin spent much of her time defending refugees from random Darkspawn attacks. She kept a slow pace in hopes that one or more of her former companions would find their way to her, but she became less hopeful with every passing hour.

She was almost out of water and food rations and was still a day away from Lothering, from what she was told. She did her best to learn as much about the town as possible along the way. This was where the refugees were headed and she felt it was her best chance to find anyone who could help her. She would stay there for a few days either way, and hope again that she would find a familiar face.

It was midday and she decided it best to hunt up some food before it became too late. Her energy was sagging under the weight of the march and emotional stress of the battle; she was sorely in need of something more substantial than a protein bar

She was about to head off the main road when a Mabari approached her, alone on the road. It smelled her and growled, lowering its head in a menacing gesture. Aiden had spoken of his Mabari on their way to Ostagar and this one met his description. Aiden had been certain his Mabari had fallen in the Howe attack since he had not seen him after they left Ser Gilmore in the main hall.

Erin knew very little about the breed; they were intelligent and bonded to their masters. They were also fierce battle hounds. If it was Aiden's Mabari, then it certainly would have smelled his blood on her from the tower; something that no doubt wouldn't endear her to it.

She took a chance, "Are you Aiden's dog Dragon?" The dog lessened his threatening stance a little and cocked his head to the side. She thought she saw his stubby tail wag just a little. "Can you tell if he is still alive? I am searching for him. We fought together at Ostagar but he was taken from the tower there before I could intervene." The dog whined loudly and then barked twice before approaching her. He sat at her feet and sniffed her. She knelt and held out her hand in greeting. He snuffled it and wagged more heartily. "If he lives Dragon, we will find him. This I promise you."

Dragon was looking behind her then, his ears pricked up, his tail wagging violently. He bound forward so quickly he knocked Erin on to her back as he passed. She turned her head to see where he was going and her heart lifted at the sight. Aiden and Alistair were staring at her with relief and shock coloring their expressions. Aiden braced himself for the greeting Dragon was about to bestow on him. There was a tall, attractive woman with them Erin had not seen before.

Before they could greet each other properly, Alistair called out "Darkspawn ahead, large party and there is an Alpha among them. No emissaries." No sooner did he call out the warning than the group appeared from around a bend in the road ahead. A Hurlock Alpha laughed maniacally at them and signaled his group to attack.

Aiden yelled for Erin to get in to stealth and prepare to attack them from behind. Alistair and Aiden each brought their shields down to provide a phalanx of defense in front of the other woman. She was casting something, but Erin did not know what.

The Darkspawn began engaging the two warriors and Dragon, but before they could get far, the woman had placed them all under some sort of sleep spell. The Alpha was unaffected by the spell and attacked Alistair with an enormous axe. The woman was casting again and when she was done, the Darkspawn attacked randomly and mostly turned on each other.

Erin was out of stealth and picking off targets from the rear while Dragon worked with Aiden to fell those in the front. They were forming a semi-circle around the Darkspawn, corralling them towards the side of the rode closed off by a sheer, earthen wall.

When the mob became too intertwined with her friends, she sheathed her ranged weapon and drew her Katana. She was in and out of stealth; working with Aiden and Dragon to fell the lesser Darkspawn while Alistair and the woman kept the Alpha's attention.

Soon, only the Alpha stood against them and Erin called out for Alistair and Aiden to knock it back and get out of the way. They did so and it stumbled from the force of the two warriors' shields hitting in rapid succession. Aiden called for Dragon to heel and he did.

Erin gripped her Katana in both hands for maximum power, struck and relieved the beast of the arm holding its weapon. When it turned on her, she swung again, slicing its belly open just below the breastplate. As it slumped and grasped at its entrails, she cut its head from it shoulders.

Aiden, Alistair and Erin rested a minute to catch their breath while the other woman eyed Erin intently; arms folded over her chest. Erin went to Aiden and wrapped her arms around the young man; tears stinging her eyes from the joy that filled her heart.

She turned to Alistair and saw the despair in the young man etched in his features. He flashed her a pained smile and began to talk in a hesitant voice. "You… you were with Duncan. Does he… live? D.. did any of the Wardens survive?" He lowered his head in defeat as he saw the anguish flood Erin's eyes.

Erin adopted the accent of her alter ego and responded. "I am sorry Alistair, so very, very sorry. Duncan and I were alerted to the danger you and Aiden were in at the tower and agreed I would assist you. I arrived to see you both carried off by a very large bird. By the time I returned to the field, it was too late. I searched the fallen and did not find Duncan or the King among them." She paused, turned her head away and took a deep breath to calm her emotions.

"I saw the other Wardens, Alistair, and… what I believe was the bulk of the King's personal guard. None survived. It, they… it was a most horrible scene…" Her voice trailed off as she grabbed the young man in an embrace, both of them trembling under the weight of their sorrow.

Aiden was watching them as he sat on the ground with Dragon. He stood and encircled them both with his own embrace while Dragon leaned against their legs. They stood like that for some time; each deep in their own, silent memorial to the fallen.

Finally, the other woman cleared her throat, "Tis most touching, truly. However, if you are all quite finished, I would like to know who this woman is. T'would appear formal introductions are in order, no?"

Alistair began to say something but Aiden motioned for him to let it go.

Erin begged pardon for a moment and pulled the others away. "Do not reveal me to this woman. If she is to follow us, so be it. She can find out when it is necessary for me to reveal myself, but not before. I am not sure what I sense in her, but there is some level of betrayal there; maybe not even her own. Time in her company should allow me to see her intentions more clearly."

Alistair started to say something, but Aiden cut him off.

"Erin, this is Morrigan, a mage. It was her mother that rescued us from the tower when we were overrun; she was the bird you saw. She also healed us and insisted that her daughter aid us in our quest to end the blight. Morrigan, this is Erin. Erin is a former Crow assassin from Antiva that joined Duncan and I on our journey from Highever to Ostagar. She is a formidable ally and a skilled fighter."

Erin slipped on her mask and greeted the other woman warmly with a deep bow, as if she had sensed nothing of concern. She offered her hand to Morrigan who merely looked at it before giving a curt nod in greeting.

"Hmmm, just as well. Would rather my hand did not catch fire accidentally. I trust my former _occupation_ will not be discussed apart from our little band here? I'm sure I don't need to tell you that I am not very popular with my former employers at this moment, yes?"

"I have no wish to speak of you… elsewhere. As long as you do not try to kill Aiden or myself, tis no concern of mine how you earn your pay. Alistair, on the other hand…" Aiden cut off her sentence with a glare of his own. She quickly changed the subject, "And you would do well not to mention my skills as a mage. I trust you have guessed that I am an apostate and as such have no wish to call attention to myself."

"I will guard your identity closely. I have no love for the Chantry and its imprisonment of mages, Morrigan and I will not abide the mistreatment of others. I give you my word that I will defend your right to freedom." Erin's words dripped with anger at the Chantry's treatment of mages and Morrigan was taken aback by the honesty and conviction of her response.

"I… Thank you. Not many share your enlightened opinion Erin. Tis… refreshing. Shall we get underway before more beasts decide to detour us further?"

They gathered their things and Aiden gave Erin some dried meat and bread to eat before they continued the march to Lothering. Erin took the opportunity to get to know Morrigan a little bit better, but kept the questions light for fear of offending the young woman. She could not shake the feeling that something about the woman was off; not really betrayal but definitely an agenda of some kind. Whether or not it conflicted with their goal to end the blight remained to be seen.

~TBC~

_A/N: Sorry for the longer than expected delay in posting. I was seriously thrown off course from my original story and it took some time to decide where I was going with it now. _

_This is a rather short chapter (and not my best by any stretch) to bridge between Ostagar and Lothering. Chapter 9 is almost done since it was originally part of 8, but became far too large for one chapter._

_Thanks to all who review, alert and favorite my story; you make my day._

_Cheers!_


	9. Chapter 9: Outlaws and Apostates

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 9: Outlaws and Apostates

May 7th, 2010

Just outside Lothering, they were approached by Highwaymen whom they quickly dispatched. The idea that anyone would try to profit from this level of misery was heinous and the bandits received no pardon from the group when it was requested. They looted the corpses and nearby crates for anything of value or usefulness. Alistair leaned over a Templar the bastards had killed and took some personal affects, just in case next of kin could be found. They would alert the Chantry so he could receive a proper burial.

Once inside Lothering, they stopped to tell Erin about what they had learned so far and Alistair told her about Arl Eamon of Redcliff. After consulting a map of Ferelden, the group determined their next few moves. Soon they were told that Loghain was blaming the loss at Ostagar on the Wardens and that they were now fugitives in their own land. The young men tried not to despair at the weight of it all, but that wasn't easy to do. The news sent Alistair back in to a rage and it took several minutes for Aiden and Erin to get him to calm down.

Upon entering the local tavern, they were accosted by some of Loghain's men. The soldiers' leader stopped the fight when he was bested and asked for leniency. After much discussion between the Wardens and Erin, it was decided to allow their adversaries to leave town rather than finish them off. There had been enough killing and they were already overburdened with it. The decision may come back to bite them later, but it was only a matter of time before Loghain was told about their activities anyway.

A Chantry sister named Leliana had helped the Wardens in the fight and then asked to join them. She was a strange thing and talked about visions and destiny. Aiden asked Erin what she sensed about the woman and was told she found nothing objectionable. He wasn't about to let a skilled fighter slip through his hands and accepted the red head's offer, much to the chagrin of Alistair and Morrigan.

Leliana was stunning in an "I'm so wholesome I'll make you throw up" sort of way, with flaming red hair cut just below her jaw. Her eyes were a shade of blue that would make movie stars jealous and she spoke in an accent that was most precisely French. However, she said she was originally from a country called Orlais. Funny, Erin thought. Thedas was more and more proving to be some strange version of Europe; Ferelden was Britain, Antiva was Spain and Orlais was France. "Hmm, string theory strikes again" she thought.

XXX

May 8th, 2010

They accepted odd jobs around town and from the Chantry to get more coin and supplies. Leliana had to stay behind until they were able to get her armor and a bow. Morrigan and Alistair seemed intent on getting under each other's skin, while Aiden and Erin did their best to referee their sparring matches.

Dragon just seemed to be the happiest dog Erin had ever laid eyes on. She knew from experience how excited dogs were to see their masters after just a nine hour work day. This one had not seen his in well over a week and showed no sign of mellowing anytime soon. Aiden was careful not to overfeed him, but he wasn't stingy with the dried meat either. Subsequently, Dragon never strayed far from the Warden's heels.

On one of their lasts trips out of town to finish some work for the Chantry, they approached a Qunari who had been caged at the outskirts. Leliana told them he was caged for murdering a family of farmers; a claim the large man confirmed as truth. He was rather short with them and didn't seem at all happy to be questioned either.

After completing the last job, and much discussion amongst themselves, they asked the Qunari if he would fight with them to defend Ferelden against the blight. He stated he would as a means of atonement.

With Leliana's help, the Wardens managed to convince the Revered Mother to release him into Aiden's custody.

They talked to one of Arl Eamon's knights on their way out and learned that the Arl was afflicted with a mysterious illness. Apparently, the Arlessa had sent all of the Knights on a quest for the Urn of Sacred Ashes, hoping they would cure the Arl.

Erin though it sounded far too much like The Holy Grail and was barely able to keep herself from reciting Monty Python lines like "It's only a flesh wound" and "Ni Ni Ni". "Too bad no one would appreciate the similarities", she thought as she stifled a chuckle. "I won't be responsible for my composure if we stumble across a maniacal, murderous rabbit. I draw the line there and will, at least once, yell RUN AWAY! In a horrible, British accent", she continued mentally before rejoining the group.

Alistair gave the man the personal items from the Templar the bandits killed since he had been the Knight's friend and traveling companion. Before leaving to return to Redcliff, he pointed out some books they should read if they wanted more information on the Urn. Alistair was openly concerned now for the Arl's health and stated the group should also go to Redcliff as soon as possible. Aiden nodded in agreement and they spent another hour in the Chantry, each of them studying as many of the books as possible while they had the chance.

When they felt they had noted anything of importance in their journals, they left to collect the Qunari. His name was Sten and he seemed to be a man of great honor despite the horrible acts he had committed. He was genuinely remorseful for the deaths he caused and his need to atone was most sincere. He was very blunt, certainly not a man of many words, and his face barely registered a change in expression during their conversation.

They used what they had looted and a small amount of coin to equip their latest member. It wasn't the best gear, but the man was so formidable he could make a wooden plank a deadly weapon. If it wasn't for his bulk, Erin thought he would have made an excellent basketball player. His eyes were a rather creepy mix of violet and red where they should have been white; like some crazed meth/heroin addict that had gone on a binge recently. She wished she had some Visine to offer; more for her benefit than his.

As they wrapped up business around town before heading to their tents for the evening, Erin overheard Alistair ask Sten about being caged.

"Were you really in that cage for twenty days?"

"It may have been closer to thirty. I stopped counting after a while."

"What did you do? I mean… twenty days is a long time to sit in one place and do nothing."

"On good days, I posed riddles to the passersby, offering them treasures in exchange for correct answers."

"Really?"

"No."

They all stopped when they heard a thud behind them followed quickly by hysterical laughter and wheezing breath. Erin had fallen to the ground in a fit of hysterics. She now clutched her knees to her chest and shook violently in silence, unable to even make sound at that point. Dragon just cocked his head at her while Morrigan turned to hide laughter of her own. Aiden couldn't take it anymore and doubled over himself while he leaned over Erin's convulsing form. Alistair stood over them both with a smirk on his face, arms folded across his chest before shaking his head and offering Erin his hand to help her up.

Sten merely gave a grunt of disapproval and kept walking.

Erin started dusting herself off and while still trying to get her composure back, noted, "He is the consummate, comedy straight man. I wonder if he even realizes how funny that was."

Aiden tried to add something but just started laughing again.

They made their way through the refugees to their makeshift camp in town and bedded down for the night. Sten took first watch, followed by Aiden and then Alistair. They let Erin sleep since she certainly had the least amount of rest since Ostagar.

XXX

May 9th, 2010

Erin woke early; it was still dark and Alistair was on the final watch. She left her tent in simple pants and a tunic to join him before the sun rose. As she approached, she noticed him wipe his eyes. He must have been crying again. She stood beside the disheveled Warden and placed a friendly arm around his waist, leaning her head against his right arm. He curled the same arm around her shoulders and gave her a knowing squeeze as she settled in closer, still facing forward. Neither spoke.

They stood that way until dawn's telltale blush colored the night sky. With a light hug to Alistair's waist, Erin pressed her forehead against his bicep before returning to her tent to dress and pack.

She would have to talk to him soon; his grief was understandable, but he had to move on if he was going to make it through this. She resolved to talk more about it with Aiden before approaching Alistair.

With the Darkspawn horde hot on their heels, the group headed out of town at first light, destined for Redcliff. As they reached the Imperial Highway, they had yet another small group of Darkspawn to defeat. This time, the monsters had cornered a merchant and his son and the Warden's party arrived just in time to save them from a horrible end. They received some coin for defending the two Dwarven men and spoke with them briefly before heading out.

In relative silence, they traveled west until late afternoon and then detoured from the road to find a suitable campsite for the evening. Well away from the road and just past some woods, the companions came across a clearing that was encircled by fairly high, cliff walls. It was easily defensible and bordered by a clear stream which diverted some of its water into a pond deep enough for bathing.

The group went about pitching tents and gathering wood. Aiden and Dragon volunteered to catch the evening's meal, but Leliana insisted on joining them. Apparently, she was quite skilled with a bow and they returned with a large number of quail; already field dressed and ready for the pot. She was giggling and appeared to be flirting with Aiden, who didn't seem to mind the attention in the slightest. They looked good together and Erin thought they might make a good couple, if they made it through the blight anyway.

Erin volunteered to cook the game birds and fetched her pack for the few spices she had with her. When she opened the satchel to retrieve them, she noticed a couple of containers that were not her own. She smelled the contents and knew immediately what they were. Duncan had secreted some of his own spices in to her pack; the ones she had liked the most. She smiled and choked back a sob at the same time. "Always with happiness Erin, you promised" she reminded herself in a whisper too low for anyone to hear.

She decided it would be best to tell Alistair and Aiden about them before using them in a meal. They would certainly remember the smell and it wasn't something she wanted to spring on the young men unaware. She gently repacked them and grabbed a pouch of blended spices made specifically for poultry, as well as salt and pepper.

She seasoned the birds and placed them and some butter in the large Dutch ovens Aiden had received from Flemeth, Morrigan's mother. Aiden returned from the stream with some root vegetables which he peeled, diced and placed in a smaller pot with some water to soften them.

Morrigan stayed well away from the main group and seemed to have her own dinner well taken care of. Erin noticed the mage was not really friendly with anyone and was quite rude whenever Leliana or Alistair attempted any conversation with her. She seemed to only tolerate her's or Aiden's presence, but did not seek either out for conversation.

Sten avoided everyone and spoke only in one word responses if asked questions. He had a simple bed roll and no tent. He stood guard on the outer perimeter of the campfire and seemed to tune everyone out in his vigilant watch.

Alistair was off bathing with Dragon keeping vigilant watch over his discarded clothing. The Mabari had decided he was to be everyone's personal bath guard and took his responsibility seriously.

Soon enough, they had all eaten and bathed. Sten insisted on first watch and returned to his perimeter sweep of camp. Aiden, Alistair, Dragon, Leliana and Erin sat around the campfire for a while, digesting their meals and letting their hair dry. The group shared a few stories, however brief. It seemed no one was willing to divulge too much information in front of Leliana and she was no more forthcoming. It was enough to pass the time however, while not raising any questions from the others.

The red-head and Alistair retired first since they would have the next watch, leaving Aiden and Erin alone. They seemed to agree without speaking that it was a perfect time for them to catch each other up on all the latest developments.

Erin told him about the spices which led to her concerns about Alistair. Not surprisingly, Aiden was in agreement that it would be best for Erin to talk to him sooner rather than later. He was still grieving the loss of his parents and didn't know if his brother lived. He was concerned he would be less than tactful if his emotions reared up during such a conversation. He was understanding of the other man's grief, but also concerned that it was such a deep despair after only knowing Duncan for six months.

They both suspected there was more to it than Alistair was letting on.

With their resolve set and each other fully briefed, and very tired, they shared a friendly hug and retired for the evening. Erin, with a full belly for the first time in days, was asleep almost as soon as she hit her bedroll. Only taking a moment to hope she didn't fart or snore, given her current state, before letting herself succumb. A tent allowed for no such privacy, Alistair was proof enough of that.

~TBC~

_A/N: Stole some dialog straight out of the game, and will probably do so again. I love the companion banter written for DAO and the one here from Sten is one of my favorites. I fell out the first time I heard it._

_Please review and PM me with any glaring grammatical errors, etc. It doesn't seem to matter how many times I spell check or reread, I don't catch some errors until the chapters are posted._

_I think I'm holding the line continuity wise so far, after my grave error of forgetting Aiden's dog for the first seven chapters. Hopefully I recovered well in Chapter 8 on that._

_Zev, next chapter, I promise!_

_Cheers!_


	10. Chapter 10:  Truth or Dare

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 10: Truth or Dare

May 10th, 2010

_A/N: Translations are at the end of the chapter. There is some cursing in this chapter, but it's pretty tame stuff and I doubt anything you wouldn't hear on regular TV these days._

Leliana popped her head in to Erin's tent and gave her foot a hearty shake to wake her before ducking back out to safety. You can never be too careful when waking people that carry daggers in their boots.

Erin stretched her limbs to squeeze the sleep from them before dressing to start her watch. She found Aiden outside and joined him in his rounds of the camp.

Sometime during the night, the merchant and his son had joined them and were now sleeping soundly in their own tent. Aiden was concerned about their convenient presence and they decided to confront them as soon as everyone else was awake. It wouldn't be a bad thing to have a merchant handy to sell to or barter with for supplies. However, they were hardly on a pleasure trip and the two men could be in danger if they continued to follow the Wardens' growing band of misfits.

They made their rounds silently for the first hour or so. Aiden occasionally challenged Erin to sneak up on him in stealth without him noticing. He was never able to detect her before she tapped his shoulder and it irked him to no end.

Well in to their second hour of watch, and after Aiden had given up on their game of tag, they climbed a large group of boulders near the stream. The vantage point offered a view of the entire camp and beyond and they were well hidden within the rocky perch. Erin laughed and noted they better move before the others woke lest they start rumors flying. Aiden gave her a roguish look and waggled his brows before chuckling at the thought himself.

He realized he had not spoken to her about Duncan yet. He felt they had become close enough and decided to broach the topic, delicately.

"Erin, do you want to talk about what happened at Ostagar? I know we've been concerned about Alistair, but you and Duncan had become, shall we say, _close_ in the few days you spent together. Basically, what I'm trying to say is, if you ever want to talk about anything, I am here to listen. No judgments, no reservations, just a friendly ear should you need one."

Erin was silent for a time, considering Aiden's offer.

"Aiden, I appreciate your offer immensely, and I will take you up on it, just not yet. We promised each other that we would have no regrets and that we would always remember each other with happiness. I am struggling to keep that promise right now and I find that focusing on the task before us keeps me from spending too much time in the past.

She sighed before continuing, "I know enough about grief and the death of those I care about, well more than I wished, and I _know_ it is unhealthy to deny yourself that grief. I just need some time to put it in perspective so I can honor my promise _and_ my need to grieve."

Aiden thought about her words and they rang true with him; he was doing the same thing with his parents' death. "I know exactly what you mean Erin. All too well actually. I think you and I are very similar in this. I say we make our own promise to each other. Neither one of us will allow the other to avoid their pain so long that it becomes destructive. We each promise to grab the other and shake them violently until they agree to talk, if necessary. Agreed?"

"Agreed. And again, thank you Aiden."

Dawn was spreading her wings across the sky once again so they crawled down from their perch; finishing their watch by walking the perimeter of camp.

Soon enough, everyone else started stirring in their tents or bedrolls and crawling out to greet the day. Aiden and Erin had fixed a breakfast of seasoned root vegetables and sweet pork slices; it was delicious.

After breakfast, Leliana and Alistair cleaned up while Aiden and Erin worked things out with the merchant. They agreed to allow them in to their camp as long as they stayed a fair distance away on the road, for their own safety, and provided a discount to the Wardens and their crew. Bodahn was the older man's name and his son was Sandal. The boy was profoundly mentally handicapped, but most likely of the idiot savant variety, judging by his enchanting abilities.

They broke camp and were ready to resume their march to Redcliff at about 10am. Alistair estimated they would not make the town by nightfall and would have one more evening camping on the road ahead of them. They picked a likely campsite out on the map and set their course for the day.

Erin took to traveling in stealth and scouting ahead when possible. It was easy enough for her to maintain the guise and she preferred to have the benefit of surprise should something happen.

Early afternoon they came upon a woman in the road. She ran up to them and, out of breath, stated "Thank the maker. They attacked the wagons, please help us!" before turning and running back down the road, disappearing around a bend.

Erin grabbed Aiden and Alistair and they stopped the rest of the group before they could follow the woman. "That woman is lying, there is no mistake. This is a trap, I am positive. No doubt more of those Highwaymen types."

Alistair chimed in, "She is also a mage. I could feel her mana." Morrigan nodded her agreement.

Aiden thought for a moment and then added, "Well, we can't allow them to remain here and prey on the weak; we have to take them out. Everyone, be prepared for an ambush. Alistair, hit that bitch with a smite as soon as she's in range, I don't want her to get a single cast off. Morrigan, finish her off if you can. If there are too many of them, lay them out with your sleep spell. Erin, you're on reconnaissance. As soon as we know who the leader is, take him out. Dragon, help with the mage. Leliana, I want you to focus on any archers they may have, stealth in if you can."

"It may be too bright for me to remain in stealth, but I will do my best."

"Very well, do your best. Sten, wait until Alistair has their attention and then finish off his targets. Everyone, keep them off Morrigan and Leliana. Act as if you suspect nothing when we approach and let them play their hand first. Head out."

They all nodded in approval and started down the road. Leliana stayed close to the banked and shaded side of the road in an effort to remain undetected.

When they reached the group of wagons, there were only three armed men visible, along with the mage. They were just about to launch their attack when the leader showed himself. With a wave of his arm, two more men emerged from behind the wagons. Five archers appeared on rises to either side of the Wardens and their companions; three to the left and two to the right. As he drew his weapons, the leader yelled, "The Grey Wardens die here."

Aiden, realizing these were no mere highwaymen but either more bounty hunters or something more sinister, yelled, "Erin, capture, not kill!" She immediately understood what the new plan was and made her way to her quarry.

Alistair silenced the mage with a smite before she could cast her paralyze spell on Aiden, just as a large tree was felled to cut off any chance of retreat. It would have crushed Aiden if he had not been able to dive out of the way. It was now a very tight area in which to conduct a battle with thirteen people, let alone find cover from the archers.

Erin sprinted to the leader, leather straps in hand to bind him. He never saw her coming and she had him roped like a calf at the rodeo before he knew she was there. She rolled him down an embankment and under a wagon to make certain he wasn't hit by crossfire.

As she ran a finger along the tattoo on his left cheek, she taunted him in her Antivan accent, "You should be safe here, my unfortunate, bronzed devil. I will return to collect you shortly, never fear."

He managed to catch her eyes and drew his brows in to a scowl as he realized he knew her accent.

She winked at him while popping the cap on a small vial in her hand and then waved it under his nose. After making certain he was completely out, Erin slipped back in to stealth and up the hill above to the archers.

Aiden and Dragon quickly finished off the mage while Morrigan cast her sleep spell on the men by the wagons. She followed quickly with another spell that once again had them confused and mostly attacking each other. Aiden, Alistair, Sten and Dragon made short work of their confused enemies.

Leliana had taken out the two archers on the right and one of the three on the left when Erin helped her fell the last two with her Kyoketsu-Shoge. Her aid wasn't really necessary as Leliana was proving to be every bit the skilled archer she had claimed to be.

XXX

Aiden called for a head count and they each responded with their name. They had suffered no injuries in the battle, unlike the decimated crew of their attacker. They quickly checked all of the mercenaries to make sure none were playing dead before rejoining Aiden. The younger Warden asked Sten to retrieve the leader from underneath the cart and bring him into the sun for questioning.

Sten picked the cart up easily and tossed it off the small man; grabbing him by the weapon sheaths across his back like a rag doll. He plopped him down in what remained of the fading sunlight and moved to stand behind the Wardens.

"What did you do to him Erin? Pommel strike?" Aiden asked, somewhat concerned he may not have someone to question.

Just then, the failed merc stirred, shaking his head and squinting at the sun glaring in his eyes. Erin squatted down on her haunches in front of the confused elf, elbows on her thighs, hands relaxed between her knees. She tilted her head to the side and looked him straight in the eye from beneath her hood. Winking slyly, asked him, "Did you miss me?" in her thickest Antivan accent possible. Turning to Aiden, she added, "I had him sniff a simple concoction that rendered him unconscious. Other than a headache, he should be in excellent health."

The man said something about not expecting to wake up to which Aiden replied "That could be easily rectified, but I would rather ask you some questions first."

"Oh, so I am to be interrogated then? Very well. Let me save you some time then and get straight to the point. My name is Zevran, Zev to my friends. I am a member of the Antivan Crows, brought here for the sole purpose of slaying any surviving Grey Wardens."

Erin groaned, _audibly_, thinking "THIS is going to make things VERY difficult for me." Just then Morrigan, Leliana and Sten looked to her as if she should know the man. She simply shrugged her shoulders, held her finger to her lips and nodded her head towards the prisoner. The Wardens each stole a look at her with knowing smiles as she slid further behind Aiden to hide from the assassin.

They questioned Zevran further to find that indeed Loghain and Howe had placed a contract on the Wardens' heads. "He also mentioned that one of my former coworkers may have been traveling with the Wardens, however, they admitted their information on this was limited at best and most likely false. Did I detect the accent of my homeland from the lovely lady behind you Warden?"

Aiden spoke up quickly, "I'll ask the questions here assassin. When were you to meet Loghain?"

"I wasn't. If successful, I would return home and the Crows would have informed Loghain of the result. If I had failed, I would be dead, or should be at least, as far as the Crows are concerned. Either way, no need to see Loghain." Zevran was trying to get a bead on Erin as he talked but she remained shadowed behind Aiden.

"Why are you telling me all of this? Aren't you at least loyal to your employers?"

"Loyalty is a very interesting concept. If you are done interrogating me, we can discuss it further."

"I'm listening, make it quick."

"Well, here's the thing. I failed to kill you, so my life is forfeit. That's how it works. If you don't kill me, the Crows will. Thing is, I like living and you are obviously the sort to give the Crows pause. So let me serve you instead."

Aiden asked him a few more questions and they learned that Zevran had been purchased by the Crows as a slave when he was a young boy. The rest of his skills were easily covered by Erin and Leliana, but if he had risen in the Crow ranks to get a job like this, he must be extremely skilled in combat.

Aiden turned around to face Erin and waved Alistair over. "Erin, what did you knock him out with, I don't want him to hear us?"

Erin handed Aiden the vial, "Just a quick sniff is all it takes. Not too long if you don't want to cause brain damage."

Aiden handed the vial to Alistair to keep Erin shadowed. Alistair quickly rendered Zevran unconscious again and they returned to their conversation.

"What do you sense?"

"He's telling the truth, actually, _surprisingly_. Also, he is not quite as cold hearted as he lets on; there is a profound sadness there and… confusion… or is it… conflict. Yes, that is the best word for it. I cannot say I would trust him fully right away and we should watch him carefully. I must say, I don't like the idea of denying redemption to someone that was bought as a slave when only a child."

Alistair choked on his own breath, "What? You want to bring an assassin with us?"

Aiden convinced him that they could use the extra blades and that Erin had a point about the slavery issue. They would watch him closely until they were certain he could be trusted, or not.

"What about your cover story?"

"Sooner or later, I will have to come clean with everyone. We can't hide my identity forever in such close quarters. Maybe this evening at camp, I can drop the façade and give a limited description of my abilities and reason for being here."

"Let's discuss it when we make camp and decide then."

Zevran started to stir again, wincing at the pain in his temples once more.

"Are you going to keep doing that? It gives one the worst headache. If you are going to kill me, then please make it quick. Whatever is in that vial is most unkind."

"Very well, we accept your offer, but I warn you, try anything and it will be revoked quickly, and most efficiently."

Leliana, still under the impression she was a former crow, winked at Erin and said, "Welcome Zevran, having an Antivan Crow join us sounds like a fine plan."

"Oh? Are you another companion-to-be then? I wasn't aware such loveliness existed amongst adventurers, surely."

Leliana snorted, "Or maybe not."

Aiden motioned for Erin to untie Zevran. She stepped out of his shadow and moved to crouch behind the assassin. He tried to roll over to face her but she stopped him with a firm boot to his posterior while she unbound his hands and feet. As Aiden offered his hand to help him up, Erin dropped in to the ether and vanished. Not entirely necessary, but definitely fun.

Upon standing, Zevran recited his oath to the Warden. He turned to finally get that look at Erin he had been denied and when she wasn't there, asked Aiden, "Where did she go?"

He heard her laugh just ahead of him, and then she whispered in his ear, "Vamos a ver quién es mejor para acercarse sigilosamente a los demás. Vamos a hacer un juego de ella?"

He felt a shiver run down his spine and he chuckled low in his voice, hoping she heard it. "Maybe they do have another Crow in the roost after all", he thought.

She then revealed herself in front of him, bowing with a flourish, before dissolving back in to the ether.

"How do you do that? It is daylight? Ah, you are a mage, no?"

"No" she whispered in his ear and he shivered again, harder than before.

He had felt her approach this time and managed to grasp her neck, gently but firmly, and purred back to her "Oh, va a ser divertido para jugar, no? Mi tentadora invisible." He ran his hand down the front of her neck as he released her, purposely stopping short of her bust line.

Aiden laughed, "Quit tormenting the assassin Erin!"

"But I am merely testing his abilities Aiden. Surely, you would agree this is a prudent endeavor?"

Aiden made no effort to further include himself in their game and announced they should get moving quickly if they were to make their campsite before nightfall. They looted everything of value and Aiden called for Zevran's weapons before they started back out on the road.

"I think we'll give our arrangement a couple of days before you get these back Zevran. Don't worry; you will be well guarded should we run in to trouble."

"As you wish, but I assure you, I am much more effective in combat when my daggers are within reach."

XXX

As they walked, Zevran kept himself busy by analyzing the dynamics of this new group of people he traveled with. Aiden was most definitely the leader; however, the mysterious Erin appeared to be his second. The other Warden, Alistair, didn't seem to rank too high in the decision making process, but he was involved nonetheless.

The red-headed archer seemed quite taken with Aiden and he did not shrink from the attention. They were not overly flirtatious, but a trained eye could make out the attraction there. If he planned to endear himself to the attractive Warden through seduction, he may indeed have a rival.

Erin seemed the more likely target, and a far more intriguing one at that. If she didn't kill him herself for trying, he would enjoy playing a game of cat and mouse with her. Him being the cat, of course. What a tasty morsel she would be once he had her cornered and trapped under his very talented paws. He would show his captive prey that this cat preferred to use his tongue for tasks that did not include cleaning his fur.

Mmmm, a worthy challenge indeed.

She kept her hood up which made it impossible for him to examine her features and her armor concealed most of her figure. She obviously had curves beneath all the pageantry she wore and did not hide her ample bosom. He had always been considered tall for his race and she was a good three inches shorter. He surmised the petite woman must be of elven decent as she was far too short to be a human and too tall and lean to be a dwarf.

She certainly had the talents, speech and accent of one trained by the Crows. However, he had not heard of any Crow contracts in place prior to the Battle at Ostagar and was equally unaware that any Crows had slipped their leashes in the past weeks. All the same, if she was indeed a Crow, she would not be able to hide it from him for long.

They were nearing the area that would send them in to the forest toward their intended campsite when the Wardens stopped. They looked to each other and in unison said, "Darkspawn".

Alistair continued, "This is a large group, at least 25, with emissaries, alphas and even an Ogre. Maker's Breath, can we _please_ just get to camp? What is it with ambushes today?"

They heard human screams. The road dropped off sharply to the left side and the sound came from far below them. The group carefully approached the cliff edge and appraised the situation. Much to their anguish, they saw the Darkspawn approaching a large group of travelers, most likely refugees. The drop was at least 75 feet and they would not survive a jump from this position.

Erin crawled back from the precipice and called Aiden and Alistair over. "I can do this if I change forms. I cannot stand here and allow those people to be killed when I can stop it."

The rest of the group had joined them and regarded Erin with looks of confusion. Aiden began to speak but she raised her hand to stop him, "This is not up for debate Aiden, this is why I'm here. Try to find a way down and help protect the civilians; I will be fine on my own, I assure you." With that, she shifted in to her true form and launched herself from the cliff.

All but Alistair stood frozen in shock for a moment before he nudged Aiden and they began to pick their way down the cliff. There was a heavily treed path along the road that wound its way down the cliff face. It allowed them something to hold on to as they descended the steep slope, and afforded them a view of the battle as well.

Erin landed with incredible force and took out the Alpha in the process. Large, dagger like spikes had appeared from her feet that impaled it upon her landing. She reached both hands out, one towards each emissary and they were drawn to within inches of her in a trail of blue cracking light. She quickly dispatched them with a flick of her wrists, decapitating them with her daggers.

She summoned a massive shield to her left arm and began pressing the Darkspawn away from the group of civilians. When she had plenty of clearance, she grasped a greatsword in each hand and spun her body in a whirlwind of blades, cutting through the bulk of the enemies' numbers.

Three genlock rogues appeared around her, stabbing with their daggers. Their weapons made no impact and were quickly reduced to nothing but their pummels as her armor ate away at their blades. She laughed at their attempts; an eerie sound of light and dark, both present and far away. She drew a finger down the skulls of the two on either side of her, leaving a trail of light from their foreheads down to their chins. They writhed and screamed in pain as their bodies turned to ash and dust at her touch.

She quickly dispatched the genlock in front of her with her shield and longsword as the ogre bear down on her position.

The rest of the Wardens' party had made it to the group of refugees and were shielding them lest any Darkspawn make it past Erin. They watched in unspoken awe as she cut down their foes with weapons that seemed to appear at her will alone. Alistair was the only one that had witnessed the perfection of The Traveler's true form, but even he was dumbstruck at the sight of her in action.

The ogre beat its chest, roared in to the air and then crouched to launch itself at her. Erin melded her feet with the earth around her and returned a battle cry of her own that could curdle the blood. It was a primal, guttural growl that echoed against the cliff wall and shook the very air around them.

The Ogre sprang and she braced for impact, turning so her shielded left arm was facing in front of her, left knee bent. Her right arm held her longsword over the edge of her shield. Her eyes glowed with fury.

The ogre made contact with her shield and was dazed by the impact. Erin release her hold from the earth and began removing the beasts limbs with a greatsword she wielded as if it bore no weight at all. As the beast fell forward from the lack of limbs to steady itself, she swung her weapon in an arc over her head and pierced its skull in one fluid movement.

XXX

Erin was suddenly aware of cheering behind her and turned to see the refugees gleefully applauding her efforts. While it was nice to be appreciated, the idea that the proverbial cat was most definitely "out of the bag" was not comforting. She consoled herself with the fact that it was unavoidable and, moreover, was the precisely why she had been sent to this world.

She slipped in to the either, released her form and slipped back out as Erin once again before waving over the stunned group of companions in front of her. She told the refugees to stay with their wagons. She made no attempt at adopting her alter ego when she addressed the Wardens' party.

"Well, this certainly happened before I had wanted it to; however, what's done is done. Save your questions until we are well away from these people and I promise to answer them to the best of my ability. And for Pete's sake, wipe the surprise from your faces and act like you knew this all along. We don't want them thinking you weren't aware of my abilities, do we?"

Aiden spoke then, "Agreed. Loot the Darkspawn for anything of value; we will sell it all to Bodahn when we reach camp." He returned to the refugees whom he had a short discussion with before rejoining his party.

"There is some sort of trouble in Redcliff. We must make haste to camp and get an early start in the morning. They were vague with the details, but the village is under siege from some sort of undead army." He looked to Alistair and laid a reassuring hand on his arm before joining the others in looting the Darkspawn. "They will burn the bodies for us. I have instructed them on the dangers and they will protect themselves from the blood and smoke. Hurry now, before we lose the light entirely."

"Definitely not a Crow" Zevran whispered to himself as he fell in behind the younger Warden.

~TBC~

_A/N: Translations:_

_Erin to Zevran – "Let's see who is better at sneaking up on others. Shall we make a game of it?"_

_Zevran to Erin – "Oh, you are going to be fun to play with, aren't you? My invisible temptress."_

_And we finally have Zevran! I was torn between revealing The Traveler now or at Redcliff, but I have had this scene in my head for a while and it would lose all its impact if they were aware of her identity when it took place. So, Erin got to be the badass and stunned her companions. We will find out in the next chapter how they all deal with this revelation; this one is already HUGE._

_As usual, please review and PM me with any typos or grammatical errors and I will correct them. And thanks as usual to all of those that take the time to review, alert and favorite my pet project. It really does spur a writer on._

_Cheers!_


	11. Chapter 11:  Funny Story, Really!

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 11: Funny Story, Really!

_A/N: Translations at the end as usual._

May 10th, 2010

Everyone was in a hurry to make camp; whether it was because of the darkening sky or Erin's recent revelations was a tossup. They found their intended site rather quickly once they left the refugees and everyone busied themselves with setting up tents and bedrolls. They took turns bathing with Dragon acting as the ever vigilant bath guard.

Soon enough, the entire party, save Erin, Aiden and Alistair were seated around the campfire. The three "leaders" were selling items to Bodahn and buying necessities.

Erin bartered for a couple bottles of imported wine, dried meats, breads and cheeses. If she was to host a dinner party, she would do so in style. Bodahn was not happy with the prices he received for the items, but had to admit she was a skilled negotiator.

Aiden and Alistair joined everyone at the fire while Erin retrieved her pack. She removed her hood before searching in her pack for something. From a small bag, she pulled out two items, each a combination of carbon fiber poles, springs and sturdy, camouflage canvas. She quickly fashioned a camp chair and side table before turning her attention to the food she had purchased.

The others looked on attentively, wondering what she would produce next and how long the frustrating woman would continue stalling before she spoke.

Zevran, seated on a fallen log nearby, was admiring the features that had long been kept from him. Her wavy, strawberry-blond hair hinted of gold and her skin was lightly tanned. Fairer than his own, certainly, but an attractive shade nonetheless. And her amber-green eyes were indeed striking as they glinted from the fire light and the secret she was holding.

Alas, no pointy ears, but he was no racist. The fact that she did not share his ancestry would not deter him. Her ability to change forms and summon weapons, however, did concern him in regards to his plans of seduction. She also appeared to be roughly his age, mid-thirties he guessed. "Ahhh, a woman of experience, how delightful", he thought.

Erin placed a tray on the table on which she arranged the food she had purchased. She handed it to Leliana and asked her to pass it around. Returning her attention to her pack, she produced a bottle opener and uncorked the first bottle of wine.

"Who will be joining me in a glass this evening?"

Sten waved her off, as did Morrigan, but the rest motioned they would join her.

She grabbed five cups and poured a measure of wine in each before handing them to her companions.

When Erin approached Zevran, he made certain his hand lingered on hers, as did his gaze. She made no attempt to pull away from either, but her eyes were friendly now, not teasing or seductive. Pity, he thought. Oh well, he did say he wanted a challenge. He lowered his eyes and smiled at her from beneath his long, lush lashes before pulling the cup to his mouth.

"Gracias, mi querida. Mmmm, a very fine vintage indeed. Full bodied and flavorful in its aging."

Erin's breath caught just a little at his attentions and it did not go unnoticed by the assassin. She had never seen an elf this close in all her life and he was stunning in his perfection. She loved a man with long hair and his was that and a lovely shade of platinum blond. She thought he must look amazing when he let it out of its braids. He was very dark skinned and had eyes the color of gold.

His armor did little, if anything, to hide the muscled body beneath it. He delighted at the attentions she tried to hide by flexing his arms and stomach as he reclined slightly on his perch. He noticed as her appreciative gaze turned to rolled eyes at his actions and decided she was probably used to such obvious preening and found it gauche. He would need a different set of traps for this mouse.

"A refined, seasoned and experience woman; a worthy challenge indeed", he mused to himself as she continued to hand out the wine.

Once the wine was distributed, Erin returned to her seat with a small plate of food.

"Well, rather than have you all bombard me with questions at the same time, how about I just start from the beginning and tell my tale. Please feel free to ask questions along the way. Your presence at this fire proves as your oath of secrecy. If not, you will leave now. Agreed?"

They all nodded in approval, and since no one made a move to leave, Erin continued.

"I am from an order called The Travelers and I was not born on your planet. I do not know how far I have traveled from my own world to yours; that knowledge is not allowed to me. I arrived here 10 days ago in the Wilds, 3 days northwest of Ostagar where I found Duncan and Aiden. Or they found me, as the case may be."

She continued to retell the story of her order, her religion and her training. She recounted her conversations with Duncan and how they chose her cover story before arriving at Ostagar.

"So, Zevran, I am not a fallen Crow. It just happens to be a deliciously amusing coincidence that Loghain contracted your order to kill us. In fact, it took me a good three minutes to stop myself from laughing at the irony. One of the reasons I hid behind Aiden." She laughed openly and took another sip of wine.

"My compliments then, mi señora talento; your accent and speech are impeccable." He lifted his glass to her as a toast before taking another sip of wine.

"Thank you. In my world, the language would be called Spanish, the native tongue of the country of Spain. Leliana speaks what we would call French, from the country of France, and Ferelden appears to be equivalent to Britain. Sten, your name is common among the Nordic people of my world. While they are certainly a hearty race, you bare no real resemblance to them and do not share their accent."

"So, what do you propose these many likenesses mean? Tis there some deeper meaning you are eluding to?" Morrigan was trying to keep an even tone, but even she was rattled by what she was hearing.

Erin explained some of the more accepted ideas behind string theory and used them to explain what she thought may be the connection between the two worlds.

"Your scientists understand the universe at this level? How can they have such knowledge?"

"I am no physicist Morrigan and these theories are far beyond my capability of understanding. Suffice it to say that we have the technology to send craft into deep space. These craft return information that our scientists use in their mathematical equations, along with many other means of information collection. How they come up with the theories is mystery to me."

"Tis not magic then?"

"No, we have no mages on my planet. It is technology and is all manmade. Ideas and theories expanded upon until they learn to make them in to physical items. I have some examples to show you."

Erin motioned for them to get behind her as she retrieved her PDA. It was a small, hand held laptop, six by four inches closed. She opened the device and turned it on.

"Our world's collective knowledge can be held within technology such as this device. Please, don't ask me to explain it all. There is so much technology within the technology that we would be here for hours. Furthermore, I don't _understand_ it all; you don't have to understand it to use it.

"Say I wanted a map of Spain. I simply choose my map application, go to this little field here and type in the word "Spain". And there, you see? That is a map of Spain. It's an actual image of the country, a picture, taken from space." She pulled out her camera and showed them some photos of Ostagar she had taken. "Just like this device, but a hell of a lot more complex and expensive."

"Tis nothing short of amazing, truly. What a wondrous thing, this… 'technology'."

"Trust me, it has its downsides. For example, we have bombs so devastating that three or four of them could obliterate every building, plant and living organism in the whole of Spain. Oh, everyone's promised not to shoot anyone, but they're still there."

Alistair shook his head, "A man made blight then?"

"Exactly" Erin responded with a solemn voice, tinged with anger.

Zevran scoffed, "So, all that power and no one has ever used it? I find that hard to believe. Your world may be different, but power is power and politicians are nothing if not power hungry."

"Ah, no… we've used it. My country in fact, against a small, island nation called Japan. Our scientists invented it during the Second World War. Not something I take pride in telling, believe me."

"Did you say 'World War'? As in the entire planet engaged in battle, with these bombs being thrown about willy nilly?" Zevran was now using Erin's table as a chair, arms crossed over his chest, head shaking from side to side in disbelief.

"Well, not every nation was involved, but every continent, certainly. And yes, it was horrible. Over fifty million people died."

"Fifty million people? How did that not wipe out the entire planet? How many people are on your world?" He was reeling now from the enormity of it all.

"There are nearly seven billion people on the planet now. There are approximately one and a half million people living in the city I call home, granted, they're spread out over roughly 2000 square miles, but it's still pretty cramped."

"Maker's breath, I guess so." Zevran was rubbing his face with both hands now, trying to come to terms with the numbers Erin was throwing at him.

"OK, no more talk of war and destruction; I think I've rattled you all enough for one evening on that score. There is plenty of beauty there too. We have managed to eliminate many diseases and when a tragedy strikes somewhere in the world, like a natural disaster, we are inclined to band together to help those in need.

"The land itself is amazing and diverse, as are the people. It is a place rich with culture, both ancient and new. There are many, world-wide organizations that fight for the basic human rights of all Earth's inhabitants. Groups of doctors that travel to the poorest regions to provide care the people would never receive otherwise. There is compassion and hope; perseverance against incredible odds, the very embodiment of the human spirit in action. I don't regret living there."

"Ahh, '_Human_ Rights' you say? There are no rights for the other races?" Zevran eyed her suspiciously waiting for her response.

Erin threw her head back and laughed and then caught herself before she offended the assassin. "Zevran, there are no elves or dwarves on my planet. We have many different races, but they are all considered 'human'. This is, in fact, the closest I have ever been to someone of your race and my first conversation with _anyone_ that did not consider themselves a human. I do not mean to offend you but you will have to be tolerant while I get used to the fact that the term 'human' does not include every race on your planet."

"Truly, I am your first elven experience? How very novel. Tell me, what do you think so far, hmmm?" He raised a brow as he leaned a little closer to her, as if waiting for a physical inspection.

Erin could not help but laugh at the humor of it all. "I hardly think it's fair to judge your entire race by just one example, don't you agree?"

"Ah, then, I shall endeavor to fully educate you on _all_ things elven. We have many subtle differences in our bodies; I can show you if you like? It will be fun, I will make it fun!" He rose from the table, bending to bring his lips to her ear and purred in a light whisper, "I promise."

It was Erin's turn to shiver and the assassin chuckled. She offered him some more wine, which he happily accepted before returning to the table to sit. It was surprisingly comfortable, he thought.

Erin poured another round of wine to all and even Morrigan accepted a glass this time.

Leliana spoke then, "So, you do not believe in The Maker Erin?"

"I believe in God Leliana. I am more than happy to discuss this with you further another evening, but for now, my brain is feeling a bit worn out and I would like to enjoy some more wine before retiring. I hope you understand?"

"Oh, yes, of course! I look forward to it!"

Erin prayed silently, "God, grant me strength, this one is going to be a nightmare with religion, I can tell."

Sten moved to stand directly in front of Erin and it strained her neck to meet his eyes when he spoke. "You said the sword at your hip has remained in your order for over 1000 years. May I inspect the weapon?"

"Of course Sten," Erin said as she stood, "Be careful, I am not exaggerating about its blade edge."

"Oooh, I should like to see it as well; I am quite fond of finely crafted weapons myself." Zevran added as he stood as well.

Erin moved closer to the fire so she could unsheathe the Katana safely; as well as for the light it provided. Zevran joined her on her left, Sten on her right. She handed the hilt to Sten and he examined the Katana as she explained the ancient forging methods used in its construction.

"It is a fine weapon, Kadan. No doubt it brings you honor to wield it in battle."

He returned the hilt to Erin and walked away. And that was the extent of the Qunari's participation in the conversation. Erin chuckled. She didn't know why, but she liked him.

Zevran held his hand out, "May I? Or am I still barred from holding sharp and pointy objects?"

Leliana wasted no time drawing her bow, notching an arrow and aiming it at Zevran. "Go ahead, if he tries anything, I'll pin his arm to the ground."

Zevran laughed, "I appear to be well under control, may I?"

Erin looked to Aiden who nodded and she handed the hilt to Zevran. "Go ahead, feel the weight and balance. It is truly art in motion, I assure you."

Zevran held a hand up to Leliana as he stepped away to give himself plenty of room for a few forms. Once he had the feel of the weapon, he began a set of practice maneuvers; deftly wielding the blade in a dance of dexterity and skill. He was a blur of tanned skin, blond hair, leather and steel.

And he was breathtaking, Erin thought, and she doubted Leliana could shoot his arm now.

Grinning from ear to ear and just slightly breathless, Zevran approached Erin, bowed and gracefully handed her the hilt. She sheathed the Katana and returned the gesture.

When they rose, they shared a knowing smile; it was a remarkable thing to wield and she knew he had enjoyed the sensation.

"That is truly a work of art, mi amada Viajero. It is weighted perfectly; it's balance… impeccable. Thank you, most sincerely, for the opportunity."

"You're quite welcome Zevran. It's always good to meet another who appreciates a finally crafted weapon."

Aiden asked Erin for a private conference and they walked well away from the campfire.

"I have an idea. Why don't you stay up with Zevran until you have finished the wine? You both are getting along well and he seems to trust you. I would like you to get to know him better, try to bring him more fully in to our little band of outlaws, apostates and heretics. We have plenty of people to cover the night watch. What do you say?"

"Ah… sure. After everything that's happened today and this evening, I could certainly use a few drinks."

Aiden chuckled, "Just make sure you're fit to travel tomorrow. We may well have another battle on our hands when we reach Redcliff."

XXX

Everyone started retiring; Leliana and Aiden took first watch and left to find a suitable location for the task.

Erin started towards her tent and Zevran called after her, "Going to bed so early? We were just getting to the second bottle. It is already open, seems a shame to waste it, no?"

"I'll be right back Zev. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of wearing several layers of armor and a multitude of weapons, all of which could use a good cleaning."

"Ah, excellent idea."

They reconvened shortly after, each attired in tunic and breeches, carrying an armload of soiled armor and cleaning supplies. Zevran couldn't help but laugh at how much larger Erin's stack of armor was compared to his own.

"You don't mind me using your table as a chair, do you?"

"Of course not, help yourself. It's designed to bear the weight."

"I meant to compliment you earlier on your armor. It is most attractive and the style is elaborate yet very tasteful. It is a uniform of sorts?"

"Yes it is, and thank you Zev. I rather like it myself. Obviously, the 'uniform' has evolved over the last 4000 years, but it very much speaks to the tradition of the order. Hmm, I appear to need more wine."

"Allow me." He poured them each a measure and carefully set the bottle back down.

"The armor is made of material that resists staining and is surprisingly easy to care for. It's hard to be con estilo when you're covered in blood and entrails."

"Indeed. So, where did you learn to speak, how you say, Spanish?"

"The city I live in borders a Spanish speaking country. It's a matter of necessity really. Many of the countries that surround my own speak some version of the language; most of the area was originally conquered by Spain you see."

"Ah, Antiva is more insular. Not much for conquering anything more than the opposite sex."

Erin laughed aloud, "Spain may be very similar now. From the way some tell it, their largest export is 'Latin Lovers'. "

They shared another laugh while they worked on their armor and sipped their wine.

"I'll have to show you some pictures of Spain and you can tell me if it is anything like Antiva. Not tonight though, we've had enough technology for one evening."

"Agreed, mi querida amiga. It should be interesting."

"I would like to thank you… Erin. You have been far more kind than I... deserve and… well… it is appreciated. I wanted you to know."

"Zev, there is no need to thank me, but I appreciate it just the same. I am pleasantly surprised to find you are excellent company. I'm in no hurry to surround myself with people I can't tolerate."

"The fact that I am an assassin by trade does not bother you?"

"That is not a simple question Zev, are you sure you want to hear my response?"

"It is an earnest question, and we have nothing but time. Please, continue."

"It's not my place to judge the past of others. You said yourself you didn't choose to become a Crow, and whether or not you have taken lives in your service to them doesn't eliminate the fact that it was not, at least initially, by choice. From what Duncan told me of Antiva and your order, I doubt many, if any of your targets were innocent civilians that had done nothing wrong. If any were, you will answer for it when you leave this world, but not to me.

"I also understand the methods of breaking and reforming a mind; it has happened many times in the history of my planet, to one extent or another. The assassinations you completed while with the Crows were performed under duress and threat of death. I will not fault you for survival, not when someone else would have simply killed the person after you refused and died yourself. And certainly not if you had been trained as a child to believe the act was completely acceptable.

"The fact that you have retained any 'humanity' at all is a testament to your innate character Zevran. A dead eyed, cold hearted bastard would not care to thank someone for a simple kindness, yet you have. Whether or not you realize it; that speaks volumes about your courage and resiliency.

"I am no stranger to the elimination of, shall we say, strategic targets, in ending a war or conflict. And I know from experience that these targets became targets for a reason, and it wasn't for baking cookies or helping the elderly. But I also know how terrible assassination can be. I've seen the hope of poorer countries dashed because a rich drug dealer wished it so and ordered a just and fair politician killed. Again, a practice I will not support.

"Mind you, if you kill any of our companions, I will revoke such clemency. If in our travels, you took a contract and killed some woman whose only trespass was refusing to bed a rich Noble; our friendship would meet an equally abrupt end."

Zevran lowered his head, taking in everything Erin had just revealed to him. In a level and sincere voice, he responded, "I believe I understand your meaning… very clearly. Your words are… surprising, to say the least, but they are appreciated."

He sighed before continuing, "There are many things I regret about my time with the Crows. This is a new path I am on and I am eager to see where it takes me."

"As am I Zev, as am I."

They finished the last of the wine laying on their backs; heads perched on their clean armor, staring at the stars while Zevran told Erin about his beloved Antiva. When they were both yawning, Zevran stood and offered her his hand to assist her. He then brought it to his lips and lightly, reverently brushed them across her knuckles.

She lowered her head, somewhat embarrassed by the foreign action, but he caught her chin with his thumb and forefinger. He lifted her head and brushed her cheek with his fingers before pressing another kiss to her knuckles.

"Dormir bien, mi querida amiga."

"Gracias por una noche encantadora Zev. Dormir bien."

XXX

In her tent, Erin reflected on the difference between her time with Duncan and the evening with Zevran. She and Duncan had shared passion, honor and duty, but very little conversation. In fact, Zevran knew more about her in one evening than Duncan knew during their short time together. She was attracted to the elf, there was no denying it.

Something within her snapped and she turned cold, resolving mentally, "Perhaps I should put a cap on dead lovers per trip, and it should be set at one."

XXX

Zevran lay on his bedroll in his tent, reflecting on the lovely evening he had just spent with a complete stranger. A blight, a failed assassination attempt, people from other planets, and Zevran Arainai had just experienced a rare and exceptionally delightful evening.

Erin was certainly easy to talk to and even easier to look at. Without her armor; and in the thin linen tunic and breeches she wore, he could see she was quite shapely and well proportioned. It was a delight, after bedding so many taller, human females, to be in the company one shorter than him.

He had never preferred the submissive role and it was difficult to feel entirely manly when the woman you were bedding was a foot taller in height. It also made some acts incredibly awkward.

There was no denying the attraction they shared and he fully intended to use it to his advantage. There was no reason to continue this journey in celibacy. Why would one want to try with such a creature readily available?

When he realized he was becoming aroused, he decided to review their conversation instead of her hips. Was he really ready to think of himself as anything other than a cold blooded, well trained assassin? Shouldn't he mind that she didn't think of him as such? Could he be a decent man and still be good at his chosen profession? And what's with all the sentimentality, _Zevran_?

He knew something had already changed in him when he offered to serve the Warden rather than provoking his own death, as planned. What he didn't know was the reason.

~TBC~

_A/N: Translations:_

_Zev to Erin "Gracias, mi querida…" = Thank you, my dear_

_Zev to Erin "mi señora talent…" = my talented lady_

_Zev to Erin "mi amada Viajero…" = my lovely Traveler_

_Erin to Zev "con estilo…" = stylish_

_Zev to Erin "mi querida amiga …" = my lovely friend_

_Zev to Erin "Dormir bien, mi querida amiga." = Sleep well, my dear friend._

_Erin to Zev "Gracias por una noche encantadora Zev. Dormir bien." = Thank you for a lovely evening Zev. Sleep well._

_Thank you Zevgirl and Witchweaver for your continued support!_


	12. Chapter 12:  Coming to Terms

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 12: Coming to Terms

_A/N: Some fairly strong language in this one. Erin gets a little ticked off and she can make a sailor blush. And well, there's a mild bit of gore that follows her outburst, nothing serious. I have marked off the section involved if you wish to skip it, but it is fairly important to her character development._

May 11, 2010

Zevran awoke refreshed and invigorated. A new day and he still lived to experience it. "And I wonder what lovely vision I should thank for the current state of my small clothes? Mmmm… Erin, you saucy minx, did you tempt me in the Fade when I wasn't looking?" He laughed at his own mental conversation before stretching luxuriously.

Well, he would certainly have to wait until Zev Junior calmed down before he exited his tent. Ah, the wonders of being male; go to bed flaccid, wake up with a pup tent in your blankets.

It was very early dawn but the camp was already busy with people eating and packing. He could hear Leliana and Aiden talking affably about some non-descript subject; she would giggle, he would chuckle. They must have had quite a nice evening themselves, he surmised.

He would have to chide the young man about it later.

He heard Erin moan lightly from her tent, just next to his own, then gasp. Mmm, so it was you, wasn't it? He was about to let Zev Junior have it when a scream shattered the serenity of the camp followed by what was very clearly Erin's anguished voice, calling out , "NO… DUNCAN… not him… not Duncan…" And then another scream; most definitely Erin's.

He cursed Zev Junior for his untimely "salute"; he would not be able to come to her rescue in his current state. He heard Aiden outside her tent asking to enter. When the response was only more mumbling, he heard him open it to enter. He apologized for so rashly admonishing Zev Junior; no need to provoke an unfortunate rebellion sometime in the future. Whatever it was, Aiden would have to play hero this morning.

He began gathering up his belongings and decided he would make due in being the attentive paramour later.

XXX

Erin was having a horrible dream and she couldn't seem to get herself to wake up. Duncan was being torn apart and eaten alive by Darkspawn and the image was far too real and scarring. She could feel the pain of her stomach clenching, trying to wring the tears from her eyes that wouldn't fall while she slept.

She was finally shaken awake by Aiden and she immediately clutched him close. All of the mourning and grief pent up inside her spilled out in a gut wrenching fit of crying. The pain was so intense; she didn't think she could cry enough to relieve the pressure.

Aiden held her close, stroking her hair with his hand and rocking her gently. Leliana showed at the door and he waved her away. Then Alistair appeared and didn't wait for an invitation before joining them in the tent. He gently stroked her hands as he held them, pressing his forehead to her temple.

Finally, the pain began to ease a little and she was able to stop the soul drowning cries that had been wrought from her by the dream.

Aiden lifted her tear stained face to his and Alistair's while they each caressed one side of her head. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Oh God, they were… n… n…" And she suffered a renewed bout of stomach turning pain and crying.

Again they held her, letting her get the grief out like ripping a bandage off a hairy part of your body in one quick motion.

XXX

Zevran was out of his tent now and well aware Erin was crying; the pain evident in her voice was almost unbearable to hear. Only death caused that kind of pain, he knew it all too well; and had witnessed it too many times in the faces of those left behind by his actions. He did not like the idea of Erin, the woman who had shown him so much courtesy and kindness just a few hours earlier, being torn apart by such an overwhelming grief.

He finished packing up his belongings and ate a light meal. When they still hadn't emerged, he began pacing outside her tent, waiting for either of the men to emerge and tell him what in The Maker's name was going on.

Finally Aiden exited the tent and was immediately confronted by the concerned Antivan.

"She had a bad dream, no? Did someone die that I am not aware of? That is no normal crying, that is grief. Please Aiden, tell me…"

"Zev, I'm sorry, but this is her tale to tell you. We all lost many at Ostagar, Erin… one in particular. She has not allowed herself even a single moment to mourn and I believe it has finally caught up to her."

Zevran thought maybe a child she had grown attached to had perished in front of her. Or maybe, she had managed to take a lover in the short time before the battle. He knew how cruel the mind could be and wondered what horrible visions it must have conjured to strike such a blow.

He would give her space and offer to be a sympathetic ear should she need one. There was little more he could do.

XXX

Alistair and Erin sat in the privacy of her tent for a while longer.

"I feel so selfish Erin. All this time, I never once asked you if you were all right. I hate to see you in so much pain, please forgive me."

"Alistair, please, there's no need, really. I wasn't ready obviously, and my horribly vicious mind decided it was time for me to face it. Everyone grieves in their own way. You did nothing wrong. We both need to learn to put it behind us though, and honor Duncan in what we do in the future. The past wins us nothing."

"I agree Erin. Promise me, if you see me slipping, you'll remind me of that. I was so caught up in his death, I didn't think of how best to honor his life. Thank you, that is more helpful than you could possibly know."

"Tell you what; there's a saying from a movie I like, about ancient warriors. "Strength and Honor" is what they told each other when they went to battle. Whenever you feel yourself slipping, say those words and I will do the same. Or you could recite the Grey Warden oath. I had heard Duncan recite it at night before he went to sleep."

"It's a promise. 'Strength and Honor'… I like it. And I should recite the oath more often. I didn't realize Duncan did that, thank you." He smiled so warmly that some of the darkness swirling around her lifted.

Alistair left and she began the arduous task of dressing and packing, _again_. She always loved camping, but that usually involved staying in one place for several days, not this moving every day crap. And there were decidedly less monsters involved. She found her sunglasses and decided today was just the right day to introduce Ferelden to "cool". Everyone looked better in a good pair of shades.

She got out of her tent and began breaking it down when Zevran approached her.

"What, my dear, do you have on you face?"

"They're called sunglasses Zev, they shade your eyes from the glare of the sun."

"May I try them?"

She handed the glasses to Zevran and helped him put them on.

"Oh, marvelous! How do I look?" He stood, arms folded across his chest, head tilted to the side, chin lifted proudly.

"Better than a man should, now give them back." They both laughed as he returned her eyewear.

Before she could put them back on, he stepped forward, placed his right hand on her left check and gently rubbed her tear stained eyes with his thumb. She placed her hand over his and lowered her head. "I know, bad, bad dream Zev. I can't talk about it just yet. Maybe I shouldn't presume you would care to know, but I will tell you another time if you do."

"I do care to know if you wish to tell me, and I am quite content to wait, mi querida."

XXX GORE AND BAD LANGUANGE FOLLOW XXX

They were on the road early and making good time. They would arrive at Redcliff by early afternoon if their luck held, which of course, it didn't. Or it did, if you were using the previous day's luck.

As they rounded a bend, yet another group of useless, conniving bandits stood in the highway. They were picking over what appeared to be the bodies of a family of refugees. The entire group sighed with a "you have got to be kidding me" resignation.

Erin had had enough. Last straw. No more nice guy, no more pleasantries before drawing steel, she would just draw steel. "Anyone else as sick of this shit as I am."

"Yes" the group responded in uncommon unity.

"Follow my lead."

Erin drew her katana and walked straight up to the biggest, most heavily armored man in the group. He was wearing plate and was resting on the handle of a large axe.

Not faltering in her approach even slightly, she began her new and improved, abridged bandit questioning mantra.

"Are you bandits intent on robbing us?"

"Why yes we are."

"We deny your request, DO YOU YIELD SIR?"

"Beg pardon?"

"I asked, you fucking asshole, if you FUCKING YIELD. Or shall I gut you where you stand and allow the whimpering pricks behind you a chance to respond."

He began to lift his axe but was nowhere near fast enough. Erin gripped her Katana in both hands and brought it up in a sweeping arch from the right to left; neatly cleaving the man in two from his left hip to his right shoulder. Right through his armor, spine and every other bit of bone and flesh that got in the way.

With a solid kick to his groin, his upper body split from his lower body, making a "thunk thunk" sound as they fell in to his companions.

"Your turn shit for brains, DO YOU FUCKING YIELD?"

"Yes!" They responded.

"Do you worthless pieces of dog shit intend to leave the people of Ferelden alone?"

"Yes!" They again responded.

Erin quickly repeated the same procedure on bandit number three from the left. "Thwang" went the Katana and "thunk thunk" went the bandit.

"But he said yes!" one pleaded.

"But he was mother fucking LYING! The rest of you were honest. Burn these two and leave. Let all the bandits, thugs and rapists in this land know exactly what they are in for should they ever cross our path, understood? Hell, that was so fucking therapeutic, I may just hunt them down for the health benefits and exercise."

XXX END OF GORE AND POTTY MOUTH XXX

She turned back to her companions and said "Let's go." They didn't get very far before Alistair and Leliana had to duck into the bushes to relieve the contents of their stomachs.

While the rest waited, Sten approached Erin and in a rare display of conversational skills stated, "I approve of this approach Kadan. We should use it more often."

"I whole-heartedly agree with the Qunari Erin, T'was refreshingly decisive indeed." Morrigan added with sincere appreciation for the swiftness in which the issue was resolved.

Aiden chimed in. "I saw her do that to an emissary in the Wilds, didn't realize it would work on plate too. Impressive, and very, very scary Erin."

Zevran waited for the others to move along a little so he could settle next to Erin, alone in the back of the group. "My dear, you are simply ravishing; feeling better I hope?"

"They killed a family for their belongings Zev. I snapped. What can I say." Her voice betrayed remorse for her actions.

He turned to cut her off and grabbed her by the shoulders. "They were clean kills, mi querida. You did not 'snap', as you say; well, maybe there was a small fracture, but you gave those dogs more than they deserved. They did not suffer as I'm sure their victims did. The others will share their story and who knows how many will decide they like their torsos in one piece more than they wish to rob and kill unfortunate travelers. I'm an assassin and their actions appalled me for Maker's Sake!"

She rolled her head around her shoulders and smiled. "You're right, I know, but allow me to feel conflicted, ok?"

"If you must, I will allow it, but no self flagellation; that is forbidden. Hmm, unless you use a very light whip, are completely unclothed and I get to watch, then I will make a concession."

She grabbed his shoulder and shook him in mock frustration before continuing on and he settled in beside her.

"Have I mentioned how incredibly sexy you are when you're angry and slicing through large men with your Katana? Very attractive; and what colorful language I should add. However did you manage that without a single drop of blood landing on your armor?"

"The Katana slices so cleanly and quickly the body doesn't bleed right away. It seals itself behind the blade's stroke if nothing's there to immediately pull the cut apart. I got a little lucky with 'part placement' when the first one fell. That could have gone badly for me. I should sharpen it before the next battle. Slicing metal is hard on the edge."

"I can imagine. I have truly never seen a blade that can slice through steel as if it were butter. I must say, I want one."

"They actually have contests in Japan where masters slice various metals with their Katana. It does take a very precise strike to be successful, and definitely a two-handed grip. It's one of the disciplines I practice regularly and I do have a training area set aside for cutting metal pipes. Like anything, it's a skill you have to develop."

"You are full of surprises, mi querida. I would like to spar with you when we have time. I'm sure we could both use the exercise and practice. I'm sure you could teach me a thing or two as well." He waggled his brows at her and she rolled her eyes in response.

"Unless you have forms like the Japanese here, which I have not seen yet, it will take a while before you're truly ready to wield a Katana properly. I would be happy to train you if you like. Of course, we'd have to eventually find someone who could make you a sword as well. I know exactly how they're made, but I am no master craftsman.

"But yes, to answer your question, a sparring partner would be nice. I'm sure you would prove to be quite a challenge and I am interested to see how you wield your daggers. Actually, I think the entire group should be sparing and practicing daily. We are our own little army and I've never seen an army that does not train regularly."

She suddenly held a breath and let it out in a whoosh of air.

"What? Is something wrong?"

"No, I just had an image of Sten running at me with that huge sword. Egads, that's a frightening mental picture. Glad he's on our side."

Zevran had to stop walking he was laughing so hard. He absolutely did not expect the response he received. It was infectious and they spent a moment enjoying themselves before catching up with the others.

~TBC~

_A/N: Translations - you should know mi querida by now (my dear). I know, nothing for days and then rapid fire chapter posting. This chapter is a little shorter. Things will speed up a bit during some of the major quests as I have no wish to recount the game to anyone._

_I hope you're enjoying the adventures of our motley crew of outlaws, apostates and heretics. I must say, writing Zevran's dialog isn't as easy as I thought it would be. I should probably spend some time in game to get the feel of it back._

_Cheers!_


	13. Chapter 13:  Zombie Killer of the Week

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 13: Zombie Killer of the Week

May 11, 2010

When they arrived in Redcliff, Alistair pulled Aiden and Erin aside and rather reluctantly informed them that he was the bastard child of King Maric and King Cailan's half brother. He told them about life with Arl Eamon and why he was really sent to the chantry.

Erin was furious at this Eamon man and his petty little wife now. Eamon had made a promise to care for a child and then betrayed it for his lust. Not to mention Isolde; what a horrendous bitch you would have to be to put title and money over the life and care of a child. These were exactly the kinds of acts she found abhorrent.

"I know I should have said something earlier, but I've been told since birth not to reveal my parentage. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for keeping it a secret for so long. Maker, you're angry with me Erin, I… please forgive me."

Erin tried to reassure him there was no harm done. "I assure you, I am not angry at you Alistair. What kind of monster chooses lust over a child? Isolde must be a flaming bitch to allow an innocent child to suffer because of her own jealousy, pride and greed. I'm disgusted, but absolutely not angry with you."

She took a deep breath before continuing.

"I certainly can't fault you for keeping your parentage to yourself. It truly is your business Alistair and you had every right to choose if and when you told anyone else. Obviously, with the current state of the crown, we need to accept the possibility that Loghain knows and that you will be specifically targeted by him."

Aiden stepped forward and placed a hand on his comrade's shoulder. "I agree with Erin, on all points. Other than the fact that I will now be forced to bow to you and call you 'My Prince', this changes nothing."

Alistair winced, "Maker no, don't do that…"

Aiden shook the shoulder he was holding, "Kidding! Alistair, I'm just kidding. If I do that, I assure you, it's just to pester you. However, what do you think the odds are that Eamon won't put you forward as King? From what I know of the man, keeping the Theirin line on the thrown was incredibly important to him. I think we need to be prepared for this contingency."

"Maker's Breath. I never wanted the throne. I don't want to be King. Do you really think he would? Oh, I hadn't considered this. I'm a Grey Warden, I can't be King." Alistair rubbed his face with his hand and paced in circles horrified by the prospect.

"Aiden is right Alistair; Eamon may insist that you challenge Loghain and Anora. If it comes to that, I will support whatever decision you make and I will not allow Eamon to bully you in to a position you oppose. However, I urge you to take time to consider it; being King. Despite your own misgivings, I believe you would make a good King, with time and training. You're an honest and compassionate man, Alistair, and those are good traits for a leader, in my opinion."

Aiden nodded in agreement. "If you ever wish to discuss matters of court and politics, I'm at your disposal. And if you don't, that's fine as well. Come, my brother, let's see what's affecting this town so we can be done with it and get to the Arl."

XXX

Redcliff had indeed been overtaken by zombies. They swarmed the fishing village each evening and the villagers' numbers were dwindling. The Arl's brother, Bann Teagan, was trying to hold what was left of them together while they braced for another attack.

The Wardens' group offered their services to the beleaguered Bann and set about the village helping them prepare for that evening's eventual attack. They recruited men to help the militia, found lost children, and talked a drunken smith into repairing armor and weapons.

Night fell and indeed, the zombie invasion began. Erin had to laugh, she had seen so many zombie movies over the years and here she was about to fight them herself.

"Ah, where's Woody Harrelson when you need him." She said aloud.

"Who is this Woody Harrelson?" Zevran asked her.

"He's an actor and was in a sort of play about zombies taking over the world. It was a comedy, and very funny."

"They think zombies are comical on your world?"

"Well, they don't actually exist, and yes, they can definitely be made in to a comedy; trust me."

The zombies attacked with the lack of skill and animation she had suspected. Erin repeated movie lines from "Sean of the Dead" and "Zombieland" and laughed as she cut down the undead with her Kyoketsu-shoge. She didn't care who heard her; it was too great a temptation to pass up.

At one point, she and Zevran were fighting back to back; surrounded by the mindless corpses. When they had killed them all, they stood surrounded by fifteen to twenty bodies.

Erin turned to Zevran, "What do you think? Zombie Killers of the Week?"

Zevran laughed, "Hmmm, I believe this merits an award of some sort, yes."

The invasion was easily put down by the Wardens' formidable group and the town lost only one villager that evening. The reprehensible tavern owner, Lloyd, fell in combat by the lake. Erin got the distinct impression he would not be missed, by anyone.

XXX

May 12, 2010

The next day, the town celebrated their victory and Bann Teagan honored the Wardens and their companions for their assistance. He then asked the group to meet him at a windmill above town.

When they were talking to Teagan, Lady Isolde arrived with a guard, insisting that Teagan return with her to the castle. She was a rude, sniveling bitch, just as Erin had expected. She openly insulted Alistair and treated the young man harshly; without provocation of any kind. She regarded the others with open disdain and pawed over her brother-in-law in a most inappropriate manner.

Erin could not hold her tongue.

"You will treat Alistair, and the rest of our companions with respect woman. I don't care what title you hold; I'm not a citizen of this country and it means nothing to me. Aiden is a Cousland and quite possibly the Teryn of Highever. If I'm not mistaken, that puts him above you in both title and authority, does it not?"

"Who is this impertinent woman Teagan? I will not…"

"You are lying to us! Don't ask how I know, that is none of your business. You know what is causing this and you are being purposely deceitful. You're protecting something, selfishly, while others perish. _Am I not correct?_" The question was asked through clenched teeth and dripped with accusation.

Lady Isolde was seething and launched herself at Erin, "How dare you. I have watched as my son is terrorized and my husband lies dying. Who are you to tell me what to do in MY Arling!"

Teagan and Aiden stepped forward to stop the women from tearing into each other.

"Isolde, these people saved our town last evening and have agreed to help you and the Arl. You must understand how questionable your sudden appearance is since there has been no word from the castle in days. What is terrorizing Connor? Does Eamon yet live?"

Isolde gave a very brief and rather sketchy account of what happened leading up to the walking dead attacks. Apparently the Arl had been poisoned by a recently hired tutor and whatever was causing the corpses to rise was keeping him alive.

Teagan insisted he go with Isolde, but gave the Wardens instructions on entering the castle through the Windmill before leaving.

They found the blood mage that had poisoned the Arl and discovered that Connor was indeed a mage; most likely under the control of a demon and the source of the carnage. They fought their way through more undead to the main hall. Connor, Isolde's son, had indeed been overcome by a demon and was what they called an abomination.

They weighed their options with the assistance of the blood mage. It was very tempting to let Isolde die in order to save Connor; and killing the boy outright was to be avoided if at all possible.

It was decided that Erin, Alistair and Zevran would remain at the castle and keep things under control while the others went to the Circle of Magi in the morning. They would request mages to help send Morrigan in to the fade to kill the demon controlling Connor; and confront the Senior Enchanter with the treaty.

Erin was given authority to "exercise" the demon within Connor should the situation become dire again. They all hoped it wouldn't be necessary, but the odds were not in the boy's favor.

XXX

May 13 – May 20, 2010

Redcliff Castle

Erin, Alistair and Zevran became closer while the others were away. The three companions spent most of their time away from the rest of the castle's occupants; either in the kitchen, sleeping in the main hall, or walking the halls on patrol.

When the young Warden became flustered over the Antivan's behavior, she would counsel him on the importance of tolerance. People never shared all of the same opinions, morals and beliefs, but that didn't mean there was no common ground on which to build a friendship.

He always listened to her intently; absorbing her wisdom and reflecting on what it meant to him. She could see the change such simple ideals made in his demeanor. The ignorant, somewhat intolerant boy was being replaced by a mature, enlightened young man.

For his part, Zevran took advantage of their relative privacy and seclusion to charm their female companion with wit and openly flirtatious innuendo. He asked her to spar with him as often as he could. He had told her, "I won't allow your skills to go unutilized, mi querida. Your skin glows so marvelously after our _exertions _and I so enjoy seeing how damp and breathless you become after the _hours_ we spend dancing together."

The assassin was definitely wearing down her resolve. She had always been a very sexual creature and had denied her own nature for five long years before succumbing to Duncan's allure. Her dreams often included a particularly alluring elf, and she hoped she never gave that away while she slept in such close proximity to the two men.

The threesome went to town regularly to get food and water since the castle had been fairly decimated. They had cleared a few rooms of bodies and decaying flesh and made sure they had a clean room for bathing, but it was still difficult to relax in the haunted hallways.

On one evening, Zevran luxuriated in an oil scented bath. When he was done, he slipped in to his breeches, gathered up his supplies and opened the door to leave. In the hallway were two zombies, arms outstretched and walking slowly towards him. He calmly took a couple steps backwards, placed his things on a chair, and proceeded to decapitate his admirers.

He looked down at his bloodied torso and ran his hands through his hair, pulling bits of flesh and brain from the now dirty locks. His shoulders slumped and he gave a deep sigh as he closed the door again and removed his breeches to get back in the tub, "These walking dead have _no_ manners at all." And back to the bath he went.

They had all shared a hearty laugh when he recounted the tale over a game of Texas Hold'em later that evening. Zevran made a point of suggesting they bathe together in the future, for safety, of course. Alistair flushed a brilliant crimson but Erin simply batted her eyelashes at the flirtatious Crow before laughing and saying, "Hmmm, I may be too much woman for you Zevran Arainai. Best be careful what you wish for."

"Truly? Hmmm, I am always game for a challenge. Perhaps a wager then, to see who can make the other beg first?"

"Not listening, not listening", Alistair added.

"I will have to think on this before I respond. You _were_ raised in a whore house. I may have spoken too quickly." They laughed again before returning their attention to their cards.

XXX

They took turns talking about various topics and recounting tales from their pasts. Alistair and Zevran used the opportunity to ask many questions about Earth and Erin's home town of San Diego.

She concentrated on all of the good things; showing them pictures of downtown San Diego and the surrounding areas. They marveled at the height of the buildings; the view of the evening skyline from Coronado Island was truly remarkable. She told them about the wonderful restaurants, nightclubs and waterfronts.

One night, she showed them pictures from a beach party she had thrown for some friends. Both men were shocked to see what the women were wearing; Alistair blushed and Zevran sighed.

"They're wearing nothing but their small clothes!" Alistair exclaimed.

"Mmmhmm, _exactly_", Zevran added wistfully. "Tell me, my dear, do you wear similar attire when you frolic in the sand? Are there no pictures of you in this device?", he asked with a roguish grin, head resting on his hand as he appeared to be visualizing her dressed in such a way.

"No, no pictures of me since I was always the one holding the camera. As to what I wear, I am a product of my environment Zev, of course I dress similarly. Not the type that rides up your ass, mind you; I believe in the idea of leaving _something _to the imagination. Not to mention how incredibly uncomfortable it looks.

"It would shock you to know that some people wear even less Zev. There's a 'nude' beach in San Diego, where people wear nothing at all. However, these are mostly people you would not _want_ to see naked, I assure you."

"Oh, I don't know about that. And how, dear lady is it that you know this, hmmm?" Zevran leaned toward her slightly with an eyebrow raised playfully in her direction.

Erin laughed, "It's not what you think. A good friend tricked me in to going there as a joke when I was in my early twenties. I had no idea it was a nude beach at the time. I was blissfully unaware, setting out a blanket to sunbathe on when an older man approached me; asking if I knew what time of day it was. When I looked up to tell him, well, let's just say he winked at me and not with the eyes in his head. Of course, my _friend_ was howling in laughter when the man walked away. Ah, good times."

Alistair and Zevran grabbed each others' shoulder as they laughed at the image Erin had painted. It took quite some time before they could look at her without breaking down again.

Zevran wiped his eyes and looked at Erin, "I should like to meet this friend of yours; they sound like great fun."

"Unfortunately, Kenny is no longer with us. He passed nearly ten years ago, when I was thirty-two."

She paused for a long time, looking in to the kitchen fire.

"He is sorely missed."

"I am sorry, mi querida, I did not know. "

"It's ok Zev; it's been a long time now. He was truly my best friend though. We met when I was fifteen and I feel blessed to have had seventeen years with him. But still, there are times… milestones I guess, that I wish he was around to share with me. But I mostly remember the good times now."

"Still, I am sorry for your loss. I can't say I understand it, never having such a friend myself, but… I am sorry you have had to experience such a thing."

"Thank you Zev, I appreciate the sentiment, truly."

Alistair gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, "Do you mind if I ask how he died? He was so young."

"No, it's ok to ask, and very natural. This is never easy though, no matter how much time passes."

She took a moment to compose herself.

"Kenny committed suicide. He… he hung himself. I was married at the time and we were moving in to a new house. He had called to ask me to join him at a local bar for his birthday and I declined; said I had too much packing to do."

She paused a moment.

"He held on for a few days and his sister tried to find me, but of course, we were no longer at our old address and she didn't know how to reach me. I… I never got to say goodbye Alistair. I didn't even know he was gone until a couple of months after his funeral."

She tried to give them each a reassuring smile, but was unsuccessful.

"There are some burdens we must accept and carry to our graves. Kenny's death is mine. It's as simple as that. Gentlemen, I have ruined a perfectly lovely evening, and on that sour note, I will retire."

Both men stood and asked if they could escort her, which she declined and politely left them to their thoughts.

Zevran was now more certain than ever that he and Erin shared far more than a love of fine weaponry, wine and good food. He had his own burden, as she so eloquently put it. Rinna was his 'Kenny'. Like her, he had not struck the killing blow, but he felt the burden of guilt just the same.

If anyone could help him come to terms with his past, it would be her. She had a way of making sense of feelings without being overly sentimental or preachy.

He made a mental note of some other things she had divulged during this particular evening. She was actually older than him, 42 give or take a year. She had been married, but no longer was. Her husband either died or they had the marriage annulled. Since she had yet to mention children, he was fairly certain she did not have any. He would have to get to the bottom of this latest mystery eventually.

XXX

Alistair and Zevran were curious when Erin mentioned her family. She showed them holiday pictures of her parents, three older sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins. They were both surprised to hear that her parents were over seventy years old; people rarely lived to that age in their world. And the fact that they had been married for over fifty years was simply amazing.

She felt a little guilty talking about family with two men that had never had the pleasure of their own. The idea of knowing and loving people your entire life was completely foreign to them. However, the two orphans seemed to genuinely want to know what it was like to grow up in such a manner so she indulged their questions.

She and her sisters were hardly model children and were certainly a burden to their working-class parents, but they were mostly happy. They both made cracks about her poor father having to live with five women, but she waved off their concern. He made sure they went camping and taught them how to shoot a pellet gun and ride dirt bikes. Being the youngest, he instilled his love of motorsports in her and often took her to automotive museums and the Supercross.

They had become quite close now and she counted him as more than just a dad, he was one of her best friends. They shared everything and could talk for hours together on a variety of subjects.

"You mentioned before that you were married. I don't mean to bring up another unpleasant topic, but I must say I am quite curious. You have children then?" Zevran took advantage of the current topic to broach the sensitive issue.

"I was married, yes. Ten years. No children. Well, if you don't count my ex-husband that is. He became a miserable person to be around; never happy and complained about anything and everything. His entire family did that actually… as if they had some contest to see who had the most miserable life. And with no reason; none of them lacked for anything or were faced with health issues.

"He had hidden this side of himself for the first few years, but as time went on, it consumed him. Eventually, it was impossible to enjoy even a nice meal at a favorite restaurant. He tried to shut me off from my family and friends. He was insensitive and selfish when my mother fell very ill and again when I myself had a brush with a rather serious illness.

"Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and I had long since lost all feeling for the man." She made a gagging sound and visibly shivered, "Eh, and the idea of sharing a bed with him made my physically ill. If anything signaled it was time to get the hell out of that marriage that was definitely it."

Zevran looked equally disgusted; he could sympathize with being forced to share a bed with someone you despised.

"After a particularly infuriating exchange, I told him, flat out, I was done and wanted nothing more to do with him. He refused to leave the house until the divorce was final though, so I was stuck living with the asshole, separate rooms of course, for five more months."

They both seemed concerned for her and she laughed. "I assure you, this is not painful to discuss, not in the least. I have shed absolutely no tears over the ending of that relationship. Further, I don't regret it. Sure, it's ten years I'll never get back, but they weren't _all_ bad. We traveled a lot and I got to see parts of the world I wouldn't have seen otherwise. In fact, I can show you all the places I've been too."

She used the map application on her PDA to do that and showed them her world in detail. Zevran confirmed that Spain was, indeed, very much like Antiva. He marveled at the diversity of the people and cultures on her planet and thought how wonderful it would be to go there. "Ah, these are useless wishes Zevran," he told himself, "Take your pleasure where you find it. That is the way of things for your kind."

As the days stretched in to a full week, they became increasingly concerned for the rest of their party and hoped they returned soon.

XXX

May 21, 2010

It had taken the other party just over a week to return with mages from the tower. As usual for their little party, nothing went as planned and they had a terrible fight on their hands before they could even talk to First Enchanter Irving. He pledged his support after they freed the circle from a blood mage attack.

An older mage, Wynne, had offered to join Aiden and he readily accepted. She was a proficient healer; a role their group had sorely lacked.

They sent Morrigan in to the Fade and she defeated Connor's demon, but there was still the matter of the very sick Arl. Isolde told them of the Urn of Sacred Ashes and gave them some research notes on the subject. They learned that Brother Genitivi, a Chantry scholar, was an expert on the Urn and lived in Denerim.

Aiden decided that would be their next destination, but they would spend a couple more days in Redcliff, recuperating and gathering supplies. They were more than a little concerned about heading straight into the lion's den, so to speak, but they had no choice in the matter. They needed the Arl and no amount of healing had helped thus far.

The Wardens' group set out to find any work that could net them some coin. They had met the Blackstone Irregulars in Lothering, but a new group, The Mages' Collective, was willing to pay them for some tasks as well. They also managed to talk Isolde and Teagan in to letting them pilfer the castle's vaults and armory for better gear and items to sell. After some negotiating on Teagan's part, Isolde agreed to donate fifty sovereign to the cause as well.

The chantry in Redcliff had several jobs available, including one of particular note concerning Loghain's push to take over some land in the Bannorn. Aiden felt this was important to follow up on and may allow them a better understanding of how the nobles were feeling about their new Regent. They could easily stop there on their way to Denerim.

XXX

May 25, 2010

Well rested and, for once, well supplied and equipped; the group left the castle just before day break. Lothering had apparently fallen to the Darkspawn and the road traveling east from Redcliff was surely overrun by the beasts. Therefore, they would travel north, along the western edge of Lake Calenhad before setting a course due east for Denerim.

_A/N: Thanks go to Zevgirl for being my beta on this. Also, thanks to all who review with a special shout out to Biff for her advice and for catching my horrible mistake with Zevran's capture. Too funny. Updates my come a little more slowly as I will have each chapter fully beta'd before posting. Also, I am fixing errors in ALL of my previous chapters and cleaning them up a little. No changes to story line or plot, so no real reason to re-read anything._


	14. Chapter 14:  Oh No You Di'int!

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 14: Oh No You Di'int!

May 27, 2010

It took the group three days to get Irving and the other mages back to the tower safely. Now that they had resources, they took advantage of the merchant there to purchase lyrium and other materials to make potions. Zevran made certain his supplies of poisons and reagents were restocked, and they managed to purchase a few enchanted items for the group as well.

During their previous three days on the road, Wynne's judgmental statements and inflexible moral positions grated on Erin's nerves. She was overly preachy to Alistair and Aiden about their roles as Wardens. Morrigan suffered constant glares when she wasn't being openly threatened with Templar involvement. Zevran had his upbringing and moral standing called in to question practically anytime he spoke.

The pious mage was casting a cloud of displeasure over the entire group and Erin half hoped Aiden would send her right back to the tower with Irving. They needed the woman's help, but if she couldn't be brought in line, someone was going to smack her. Erin's money was currently riding on Morrigan.

Erin couldn't shake the feeling that Wynne's attitude could turn mutinous in the future and she told Aiden as much. They decided they would let Wynne in on Erin's little secret when they were well away from town. Her reaction would certainly give them some indication of how far she could be trusted to follow orders.

XXX

Night came quickly and the group decided to get rooms at the Spoiled Princess before heading out early the next morning. Aiden mentioned that he managed to learn why Sten had attacked the farmers in Lothering. The Qunari had lost his sword battling Darkspawn at Lake Calenhad and was so distraught at the news he had lashed out in temporary insanity.

Apparently, the Qunari consider their swords part and parcel to their souls, and losing his made Sten unworthy to his people. Aiden vowed to help him find it and they wanted to search the area before moving on. They managed to find a scavenger who told them they would need to head to Orzammar to get any more information on the sword's location.

Rooms were limited and the group was forced to share accommodations. Leliana and Wynne would share a room as would Morrigan and Erin. Alistair begged Aiden not to pair him up with the Antivan, leaving Zevran to bunk with Sten for the evening.

While it certainly wasn't his first choice, or even his second or third, Zevran played it off in his usual manner. "So we are to be bed mates then Sten? Ahh, good. I do hope you like to cuddle. I prefer to sleep unclothed and often find I catch a chill during the night. Your body heat will be most welcome."

"No."

"No what, my large friend?"

"I do not cuddle. And you will sleep on the floor, elf, or find my sword in your throat."

"Hmmm, I have had many a man's sword in my throat, but I assume that is not what you mean. As you wish. But if you are kept awake by the chattering of my teeth, you have only yourself to blame, yes?"

"Hmmph."

Leliana stifled a giggle against Erin's shoulder before they seated themselves at one of the common room tables. Aiden had the innkeeper bring dinner, ale and wine before the group retired for the evening.

Morrigan offered to put wards on their doors so no one would have to stand watch for the evening.

XXX

May 28, 2010

They woke early and ate the breakfast provided by the inn. After collecting payment from The Mages' Collective, they consulted the map to choose their next campsite and headed out.

For once, they had very little trouble along the way and made camp early enough to allow Leliana and Aiden to get some fresh game for dinner. When they returned, Aiden called Erin over for a private council and told her he was going to reveal her secret to Wynne during dinner.

The group gathered around the campfire as Aiden and Erin explained everything to Wynne. They had the story memorized at this point and got through it quickly.

Everything seemed to be going well until Erin changed form at Aiden's request. Wynne immediately grabbed her staff and started to cast against The Traveler. Alistair was fast, however, and had drained her mana before she could do any harm. She looked at him indignantly as she fell to her knees, weakened by the ex-templar's counterattack.

They had their answer.

"Wynne, if I cannot trust you to follow orders and NOT cast offensive spells against your companions, you will return to the Tower immediately. Did we not tell you exactly who and what Erin is before I asked her to change forms? She even explained, in detail, precisely what you would witness before changing. How can I trust you in battle after that display? How do I know you will not betray an order if it does not meet with your personal belief system?"

Wynne's shoulders slumped and her eyes showed the guilt she felt for betraying the young Wardens so soon after joining their cause.

"You asked me what being a Warden means to me. I said it then and I'll say it again; it means _doing whatever is required to end the blight_. Even if some of those decisions are at odds with my personal beliefs or put my own life at risk.

"The Wardens do not discriminate against apostates or blood mages as long as they uphold the principals of The Order. And it is certainly not our place to deny the help of someone with Erin's abilities. She left everything she knows to come here and help us. She risks never seeing her family again. If she falls here, they will never even know what happened to her.

Aiden took several steps toward the shaken woman, his gaze stern and threatening, "So tell me Wynne, are you willing to follow my orders unconditionally or will we be taking you back to the tower?"

Wynne was beyond embarrassed by her behavior. She was an experienced battle mage and healer and she let herself react without even the slightest thought for the consequences. She wondered herself if she was truly up to the task Aiden required of her. Sensing her inner turmoil, her spirit guide sent a wave of reassurance and understanding through their shared body. Her emotions calmed and her mind cleared.

"Aiden, I cannot appropriately apologize for my behavior, but I can assure you that I will follow your orders unconditionally. You are a fair and just man and that is the reason I asked to join your cause. I think the events at Ostagar and then at the tower had a more profound effect on me than I was willing to admit.

"You have my word that it will not happen again. If we ever come to a point where a decision is made that I simply cannot live with, I will leave your company and return to the tower. All I ask in return is that I be allowed to express my opinions freely and that they be considered before orders are given."

"Thank you Wynne. I accept your conditions and I do hope I never have to make a decision that forces you to leave. I can assure you that this is not a dictatorship and everyone is welcome to give their opinions as they see fit. In fact, I appear to have very little choice in that regard."

Laughing, Aiden helped her to her feet. She approached The Traveler and held a tentative hand out in friendship. As their hands met, the elder mage felt a tingling sensation slip through her palm. She sensed that the spirit in her was greeting the energy flowing from the other woman's hand into her own body.

The Traveler grinned and winked, shuttering the light from her eye for just a moment.

Wynne struggled to maintain her composure as the reality of what the two women were sharing threatened to overwhelm her. She smiled and nodded in acknowledgment as a tear trickled down her cheek. Erin released her form and they shared a quick embrace.

Wynne genuinely felt at peace after their exchange. "I look forward to learning more about you Erin. I have a feeling we will have many interesting conversations in our travels."

Erin laughed, "No doubt we will Wynne. I haven't had the opportunity to speak at length with a Circle Mage and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the matter. I suddenly feel like having a glass of wine. I'm going to see what Bodahn has in stock. Would you care to join me?"

Wynne's eyes perked up, "I actually brought some from the tower. The Tranquil make many fine spirits. I would be more than happy to indulge in a glass, or two."

The elder mage retrieved an oddly shaped bottle from her tent and motioned for Erin to join her. "I would like us to speak privately, if that's alright with you?"

Erin started walking towards the mage's tent, "Of course, Wynne."

Zevran casually moved to take Wynne's place on the log next to the fire; getting close enough that he could hear the two women talking without being obvious.

"I am truly sorry for my actions Erin."

"No need Wynne. Like you said, you've been through quite a bit recently. I'm just glad Alistair knew what to do; however, I am capable of deflecting magical attacks in that form. I don't think you would have hurt me, but I know very little about the magic on this world."

"Thank you. I'm glad you're here to help us, Erin. Do I need to explain my _condition_ to you or are you fully aware already?"

"I can sense the spirit within you and we… spoke, briefly. I have to admit, those sensations don't usually come from friendly sources and it was a surprise to me as well. It was an honor though, to have contact with a spirit so pure of thought and devoid of foul intent."

Wynne smiled, "Do you know where it came from? Do you know about the Fade?"

"I know a little about the Fade, yes. Everyone has been telling me about that and The Maker. We're trying to determine how much of it correlates to what we know on my world. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to get into theories as we travel together. This is a very different journey for me, I can certainly say that."

"I noticed you seem quite close with the rest of our companions, and Zevran in particular. I'm curious, don't you find his manner offensive? All the flirting and sexual innuendo strikes me as rude."

Zevran was a professional and as much as he wanted to, he didn't allow himself to chuckle. He knew he had been getting under Wynne's skin and enjoyed taunting the opinionated woman.

"We're pretty open about these things where I come from. I worked in the business world for years. Quite often, a lot of my colleagues were men. In my experience, as genuine friendships grow, harmless flirtations are often the result. It seems to be the natural banter that develops in these cases and there is nothing harmful or offensive meant in the comments. Furthermore, neither party takes the other seriously.

"On the other hand, I've seen plenty of what we call "sexual harassment". That's when the intent of the comment is meant to harm the other person in some way. Sometimes, it carries with it a threat that the man may follow up on the comments whether the woman wants him to or not. Woman can be just as bad as men in some cases.

"That said, no, I take no offense to Zev's comments. In fact, I'm a little flattered by some of them. He is incredibly attractive and very capable in battle. You could easily say he's 'my type' as it were."

Wynne raised an eyebrow at Erin's sudden revelation and chuckled at her candor.

"He would never force himself on a woman, I am certain of it. I take his flirting to be just a part of who he is and the culture he was raised in. He's never crude, in my opinion anyway, and I haven't heard him say anything that I would even remotely call explicit. Just the same though, he should be sensitive to the fact that not everyone wants to be talked to like that."

Wynne offered Erin another glass of wine, which she happily accepted. "This is absolutely delicious Wynne, thank you for sharing."

"I'm glad you enjoy it. The Tranquil are truly gifted. I understand what you're saying and I have had similar working relationships with the men in the tower. But that level of intimacy comes over time. I've just met the man."

"I understand completely Wynne and I don't fault you for feeling this way. If he truly offends you, talk to him about it. Let him know where your personal boundaries are and why it offends you. I would be surprised if he continued to talk to you in that manner once you were open with him. And if he did, I would speak to him personally. At that point, I would consider it harassment and that can't be allowed."

Erin laughed, "Just remember, some of us can't pass up a good opening for a zinger when given the opportunity. I wouldn't expect him to _completely_ ignore his nature. You'll find I am just as guilty as he is in that regard."

"Fair enough, I will speak with him then." Yawning, Wynne continued, "Maker, I'm tired from the day's events. If you'll excuse me, I will retire for the evening."

"I think I'll do the same. Sleep well, Wynne."

"Maker watch over you, Erin."

Zevran had long since pretended to fall asleep leaning against the log.

He considered Erin's words carefully. Not ribbing the mage would certainly make things less fun and would be a test of his training in self-control. However, if he wished to seduce Erin, he would have to comply with the old woman's wishes if she made them known to him. It wouldn't do to scare off his quarry now; not when she was so close.

Aiden kicked Zevran's foot. "Hey, you have second watch with Erin. If you don't want to wake up with a kink in your neck, I suggest you retire to your tent and get some sleep."

The Crow rubbed his eyes and stretched as if he had just been sleeping. "Ah, Thank you Warden, I believe I shall." He gathered his things and slipped into his tent. He thought about Aiden's words. "So, I shall have the fair lady to myself for a few hours. Hmmm, so many possibilities."

Aiden and Leliana woke Zevran and Erin to take watch and retired to their tents. Zevran noticed they took a little too long saying goodnight before doing so. "A budding romance indeed." He mused.

"There you are, mi compañera deliciosa. Four hours with only each other for entertainment. How would you like to pass the time? I have some ideas of my own, if you are at a loss yourself." He gave her a coy smile and waggled his brows at her for emphasis before chuckling and offering her his arm.

She hooked her arm in his as they began their rounds. "Good evening Zev. Delicious is it? Hmm… Interesting choice of descriptive. Alas, I believe our activities have been planned out for us already. We are to watch for bad guys and guard the others against said bad guys. Fairly straight forward, really. You're not very good at this watch thing, are you?" She smiled and gave him a devious wink.

"You wound me. It is very easy to guard a campsite while engaged in more _pleasurable_ pastimes, is it not?"

"I see. I guess if you don't care if the activities are truly memorable, one could engage in a game of cards, or something similarly frivolous, while remaining a diligent watchman. However, I believe the most pleasurable activities two people can share, like a fine meal or the passionate discussion of a shared interest, are best enjoyed without distraction. They're even better when several hours can be dedicated to the pursuit. While I admit I have an appreciation for a fine berry that only takes a moment to enjoy, a truly sumptuous meal deserves one's full attention. Your thoughts?"

"Oh, she's _good_", Zevran thought, and she just called him to the mats. He needed to wiggle out of this quickly and smoothly to save face. He knew now that their first encounter would have to be planned in advance to avoid unpleasant interruptions. After that, he could probably take her when and wherever he wanted. And he certainly wanted.

"I must say you make an excellent point. Maker knows I have spent many hours savoring a fine dish in the past. As a Crow, however, we are trained to remain vigilant at all times. I would be remiss in my duties as your protector if I did not remain diligently attentive to your safety, yes?"

"Nice recovery Zev."

They laughed, both with a hint of relief, and continued toward the woods that bordered the camp. When they were well within the trees, Erin got an idea.

"Zev, I have an idea. A pleasant way to pass the next four hours."

With a playful smirk he responded, "I'm all ears."

"I get it, very funny. Do you remember our little exchange when you first joined our motley crew?"

"Ahhh, you mean to engage in a game of hide-and-seek do you? Excellent idea. Fun and yet not at all distracting from our purpose. Since you chose the game, I think it only fair that I choose the prize, no?"

"I'll probably regret this, but… sure."

Zevran laughed heartily, "I don't intend to suggest _anything_ I don't think you would enjoy. Whoever loses must give the other a _full body _massage. The person who receives the massage must be stripped to their small clothes so it may be fully enjoyed and the appropriate oils used. The masseuse can dress however they like. If the game lasts longer than two hours, the loser gets a small boon of their choosing for their efforts. Do you agree to my terms?"

"_Full body_? OK, you're on. I have had the worst kink in my neck and my shoulder is killing me."

"You say that as if you have already won, mi querida. Don't be so…"

And she was gone.

"Brasca, I hate it when she does that." Zevran called the shadows to him and he too disappeared into the night air. He wanted to lose this wager, but he knew he couldn't make it obvious; and if he wanted his boon, the game would have to last.

Erin, on the other hand, honestly wanted to win. She had regular appointments with massage therapists back home due to her many injuries and she ached everywhere at this point. Her bra and panties were no less modest than her bathing suit; no issue there. If Zevran decided he would be a naked masseur, she would just have to _suffer_ through somehow.

"Great, now you're aroused Erin. Way to go willpower!" She mentally giggled as she slipped through the trees towards Bodahn's tent.

She soon realized just how good Zevran was at stealth. There had been no sign of him yet; not a sound or a shadow.

They both moved silently and invisibly through the forest and around the camp.

Erin would occasionally catch his scent; an intoxicating combination of leather, spices and oil. Each time she felt the twang of lust in her abdomen.

Zevran was certain he heard her footsteps more than once. Finally, when they had been dodging each other for well over two hours, he decided it was time to start making some calculated mistakes. He needn't have bothered.

Erin was on his trail. She had been reclining on a tree limb when he passed underneath her and he was now upwind. She silently descended and pursued her elven quarry. His scent became stronger and she caught just a hint of his outline as he passed through an errant moonbeam between trees. She quickly tossed the rock she'd been carrying and hit him on his beautifully rounded posterior.

"Gotcha!" she exclaimed in victory.

He was a little miffed since he hadn't actually given up yet, but the result was still agreeable.

"And so you have", he said as he leaned against a nearby tree; moonlight making his flaxen hair glow despite the darkness of the forest. "I believe that was well over two hours, was it not?"

Erin reclined against a neighboring tree, admiring the moon through a break in the canopy, and responded, "Yes it was. You are a worthy adversary, Zev. What is your requested boon _Master_ Arainai?"

Zevran walked to her, leaning closely so that she pressed herself further against the tree. He placed his left hand over her head and gently held her chin with the thumb and forefinger of the other. "I believe a kiss from my cazador hermosa would be a fitting reward for my efforts."

"Creo que mi masajista elfos ha optado por una justa recompensa."

He gently leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, tentatively at first, testing her response. The slight moan that escaped her throat emboldened him and he slid his right arm around her waist. He parted his lips ever so slightly to allow his tongue to taste her and he was rewarded with a light growl and a delicate hand sliding around his waist. Without any pretense, his own body betrayed him with a breathy sigh.

Fully enveloped in the passion of their first kiss, his left hand left the tree to gently stroke the nape of her neck. To keep from crushing her, he pressed his left knee against the tree, hugging her thigh with the inside of his own. His tongue continued to taste and tease her soft lips until her own passion insisted she respond in kind. Her mouth parted to allow her tongue access to the gorgeous flesh he pressed against her own.

He let her explore for a moment before he urged her open mouth to allow him full access, lightly nipping her lower lip when she complied. Every movement they made was soft and delicate as they savored each other's flesh for the first time. Even as he slanted his head and guided the kiss deeper, the dance of their tongues and the pressure of their lips remained smooth and languid.

She traced his plump mouth with her tongue and suckled each lip gently before he took her mouth again. It was sex without sex and she was becoming lightheaded from the sensation.

Erin's knees gave, just a little, and Zevran tightened his grip on her waist to keep her from losing her balance. Finally, and very regretfully, he pulled away to allow them to breathe. Resting his forehead against hers, he purred in a breathless and deep voice, "Ese fue sin duda vale la pena la espera, mi querida."

She raised a finger to his ear and gently traced the outline, causing him to growl deeply and grip the wayward hand to his chest. "Now, that is my fault. I should have warned you that elven ears are, shall we say, overly_ sensitive_ to touch."

Erin let out a breathless and shaky chuckle, "Duly noted. I trust I have performed to your satisfaction and fulfilled your request as desired?"

"Mmmhmm, and I appreciate the passion with which you embraced your task."

"Well, never let it be said I renege on my deals."

"Oh, you have no fear of that, mi querida. I must warn you, however, if we do not begin moving soon, I will not be held responsible for my actions. There is still the matter of our guard duty to attend to, yes?"

"Indeed. I do hope you were paying attention to our surroundings. I fear I have just proven to myself that I am incapable of doing two things at once."

Zevran laughed loudly, "Then I shall have to train you." He spun her around and pulled her waist to him before stealing another nip at each lip. With his eyes still dark with lust and his voice low and husky, he continued, "I should warn you, it will require many, _many _more sessions for you to become proficient."

He released his embrace and she took his arm once again.

"Improving one's skills is usually only acquired through dedication and sacrifice. I'm sure I'll muddle through somehow."

XXX

Their watch ended and Zevran walked her to her tent, kissing her knuckles gently before bowing and leaving to wake the last watch.

Slipping into his tent, he undressed and laid down on his bedroll. Bringing a finger to trace his bruised lips, he reminisced, "Mmmm, if she kisses that well and without inhibition, I can only imagine what it will be like when she has fully given herself over to pleasure. I shall have to make certain we have several hours of uninterrupted privacy; maybe even an entire evening. Zev Junior, you may have to wait until we reach Denerim."

He started going over a list of positions in his head, becoming more and more aroused as he pictured Erin pleasuring him in all of his favorite ways. He groaned mentally as he realized sleep would only find him once he released the tension building in his loins.

Hesitantly, he pulled a vial of oil from his pack and removed his small clothes. He placed a few drops in his hands and gently stroked his very hard erection with one while the other massaged the sensitive sack between his legs. He replayed the feel of her lips and tongue over and over in his mind as he worked his throbbing shaft, thumbing the moistening tip on each pass.

His back arched and his toes curled as the warmth of his release coated his abdomen. He cleaned himself with his discarded small clothes and quickly fell into a deep and contented sleep.

XXX

Inside her tent, Erin's guilty conscience admonished her behavior, "You are HOSED! What are you doing woman? On some sort of personal quest to see how many men you can bed in one trip are you?" Erin's libido chimed in with its counterpoint, "He is an _Adonis_, kisses like a master and he _wants_ you. Who wouldn't allow themselves the pleasure of this man's company? Surely, the alternative would be insanity; only a complete nutcase would pass him up." Her guilty conscience tried hard to argue but couldn't retort. "You have a point, touché."

~TBC~

_A/N: Translations:_

_Zev to Erin: mi compañera deliciosa = my delicious companion_

_Zev to Erin: cazador hermosa = beautiful hunter_

_Erin to Zev: Creo que mi masajista elfos ha optado por una justa recompensa. = I believe my elven masseur has chosen a fair reward. (this may be off, the reverse translation didn't go well, lol)_

_Zev to Erin: Ese fue sin duda vale la pena la espera, mi querida. = That was certainly worth the wait, my dear._

_Thanks go out to my wonderful and always funny betas, Zevgirl and Biff. You make writing fun!_


	15. Chapter 15:  The Massage

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 15: The Massage

May 29, 2010

"Can a kiss cause a hangover?" Erin wondered as she woke with a slight ache in her temples. "Must have been the oxygen deprivation." Laughing quietly at her joke, she drew a finger along her lightly bruised lips and sighed at the memory. Concern seeped into her as she realized what she had set in motion. It hadn't even been a month since she last saw Duncan and this felt like betrayal. They only had three days together but they were intensely intimate in that time.

She realized that he would not want her to pine away for him and in fact, he had made her promise to do the opposite. He knew of her sexual appetites and they had both been aware that their time together would be short. Neither had asked for more and they spent little time getting to know one another outside the confines of battle and bed sheets. Still, she was conflicted. Her base morality told her that what she was considering doing with Zevran was wrong.

She resolved to take it one day at a time and would not allow the promised massage to go any further than just that. She wasn't naïve and knew, eventually, he would be able to assuage her feelings of guilt and talk her into his bed. She wondered what Alistair and Aiden would think of her. Aiden would most likely have no concerns past the possible effects on morale should things go astray. He had never been judgmental.

Alistair, on the other hand, was very innocent when it came to these subjects and loved Duncan. He was maturing, certainly, but would he be able to handle seeing her with the assassin? She shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind. If Alistair took issue with her relationships, they would simply have to talk about it.

They ate breakfast and broke camp mid-morning. The companions would travel further east and then south toward the location of Loghain's men in the Bannorn. Aiden carefully marked their path and chosen campsites on the map before motioning for the group to head out.

XXX

May 31, 2010

The last three days had been fairly uneventful and they made it to their campsite outside the Bannorn well before nightfall. Again, Aiden and Leliana set out to get dinner. Fresh food meant that their dried rations could be saved for emergencies. Wynne's knowledge of local flora and fauna proved useful and their meals were always well rounded.

Erin had managed to avoid the massage so far and Zevran hadn't really pressed the issue. He joked with her about it, but never asked specifically if she had chosen a date to claim her prize. Her overall demeanor remained unchanged, but he sensed a distance between them and they had yet to share another kiss.

They bathed and finished dinner. Everyone went about doing chores or settling in for the evening. Erin winced and rubbed her back as she got up from doing the dishes. The pain in her face did not get passed the Antivan and he decided enough was enough.

"I must insist that you claim your prize, mi querida. You are in pain, no? Into your tent and I will not allow you to dissuade me."

"I'll be fine Zev, maybe Wynne can…"

"Brasca! I said '_in your tent_' woman!"

Aiden and Leliana shared a knowing chuckle and watched as Erin reluctantly did as she was told. While Wynne could probably help her tremendously, Aiden thought she needed a more _intimate_ form of healing for now. He leaned in and whispered to Leliana, "I'll have Wynne look at her tomorrow. I don't think it's wise to get in Zev's way for now, not while he is in such an assertive mood."

They shared another chuckle before Aiden called out the evening's watch schedule. He purposely left Zevran and Erin out of the rotation and the assassin acknowledged the favor with a nod and a smile. He retrieved his pack and some furs from his tent and slipped into Erin's.

She was wincing again as she attempted to remove her armor and weapons. He laid the furs down next to her bedroll and set his pack down. "I am more than capable of undressing you, mi querida, help me with this closure first." She showed him how to manipulate the zippered entrance and then stood in the middle of her tent as ordered. "You have such marvelous traveling equipment, I am envious."

He carefully examined the many buckles and straps he had to undo before setting himself to the task. As he removed her Katana, he playfully noted, "This should be interesting."

When he removed her gauntlets, he saw the hidden daggers for the first time. With a growl tinting his voice he said, "You deadly little minx. What else do you have hidden within your uniform, hmmm? Do I need to concern myself with traps maybe? I do wish I knew your tailor."

Erin assured him he would not be harmed during the process of unclothing her.

By the time he got to her bodysuit, he was openly laughing at the stack of cloth, leather and metal that had accumulated in the corner of her tent. "And to think I thought my assortment of hidden weapons was impressive. You, mi querida, could put even the Crow masters to shame. Now, what is this you're wearing?"

"It stops ballistics and is resistant to cutting. It's the pinnacle of armor technology on Earth and a very handy piece of clothing."

"Indeed! Again, _I want one._"

"Zev, could you… turn around… while I remove this… please?" Her voice clearly showed her shyness at revealing herself so openly under his gaze.

This sudden show of vulnerability made her even more alluring. He sighed in exaggerated disappointment and responded, "As you wish, but remember our agreement, small clothes only. Should you decide to disappear and knock me out with that vile potion again, I shall have Aiden help me restrain you next time." He waited for her to acknowledge his warning before continuing, "Very well, when you are properly attired, you are to lay face down on the furs I have provided."

When he turned to allow her the privacy she requested, she stripped down to her bra and panties and lay down on the furs. She was both mortified and relieved that she was wearing a rather sexy pair of Victoria's Secret boyshorts. They were low rise and the lacy trim stopped well short of covering her posterior. Once she was properly situated, she gave Zev the signal to turn around, "I'm ready."

He was unable to restrain the predatory growl that escaped his throat at the site of her curves laid bare before him. "You are going to put my training and restraint to the test wearing those, mi querida."

"Ah… sorry?"

Zevran shook his head as he removed his tunic. For now, he thought it best to leave his breeches on, lest he tie her up and take her despite his intentions to the contrary. He retrieved two bottles from his pack before straddling her hips. He started to chuckle when he realized her slight frame fit easily between his thighs.

"Why… why are you laughing?"

"You are so very, very tiny, _mi flor delicada_. Such a force in battle, and yet so delicate when unclothed and trapped beneath me."

"Trapped, you say? Hmmph, I could change forms and we'll see how _delicate_ you think I am." She couldn't help but giggle at the idea.

"Oh, while your form is wondrous, I must say, I like this one much better."

He admired her tattoos and noted her scars as he prepared his hands with a mint infused oil. "I see I am not the only one with an addiction to needles and ink. That is a most impressive dragon, mi querida. When we are done, you will tell me what each of your marks means, agreed?"

"And you will do the same for me Zev?"

"As much as I can, some of mine are Crow secrets and I cannot elaborate on their meaning."

"Very well, I can respect that."

"This may be a little cold at first, but it will relax any muscles that may be prone to spasm. Should I assume that this scar on your back is the main source of your discomfort?"

"Yes, but I've suffered injuries to my neck and upper spine as well. Not as severe, but more insidious when they flare up."

He began gently massaging the area around the scar on her lower back. "And your shoulder? That is a rather severe scar, if you don't mind me saying."

"Crushed in a building collapse. It is actually more metal than bone now."

"Metal, you say? They can replace bone in such a way? The surgeon must be incredibly skilled. I would not have guessed the injury so severe." He used his thumbs to apply pressure along the vertebra of her spine, starting at its base and slowly moving up towards her neck.

Erin let out a moan of satisfaction as his skilled digits went about their work. "They can actually make artificial limbs that function quite similarly to the real thing. My shoulder is a mix of metals and other manmade materials and is, in essence, a replica of my previous anatomy."

"Earth is a truly amazing place. No more questions. It is time for you to relax, mi querida." He concentrated on his task, testing her musculature as he sought out the source of her many aches and pains, deftly massaging the tension from her body.

As he worked her shoulders and neck, he leaned forward slightly, fully aware she would feel his burgeoning arousal. He stifled a moan of his own as his restrained erection pressed into the cleft of the fleshy mounds beneath his groin. He may be relieving his tensions alone again this evening, but he would make sure he had plenty of visual and tactile memories to guide his hands.

Satisfied with his progress, he slipped off of her and knelt at her feet. Lifting her left foot, he moved closer until her knee rested on his lap, parting her legs slightly in the process. He began working on her toes and she squirmed and giggled. "Ah ha! I have found your weakness. I shall restrain myself for now, but I make no promises for the future."

She giggled again before settling back into the luxury of his skilled hands. She would need every ounce of her resolve to keep from pulling him to her if and when he had her turn over. There activities were affecting him as well and she could feel the evidence pressing against her knee and thigh. The sensation made her heart race with longing. She wondered if all men in this world were well endowed or if she was just incredibly lucky.

The lack of her touch was becoming painful and he fought to dampen the lust growing within him. Zevran Arainai was a professional, after all, and this was not the first time he used this method of seduction.

Once he had kneaded every inch of her left calf, he gently laid it beside his left thigh. The position allowed him an unobstructed view of her long legs and the tender flesh of her lightly tanned thighs. He allowed himself just a moment to memorize the view before putting her other leg in his lap and continuing.

Satisfied that her calves were well tended to, he straddled them and began working her left leg. He carefully avoided any inappropriate contact as his right hand slid along the inside of her thigh. He let his fingers massage as close as possible, only retreating once he touched the edge of the fabric between her legs. He saw her hips rise minutely every time his fingers passed the sensitive area and wondered why he was punishing himself so.

Finished with her legs, he gently massaged the muscles of her posterior, eliciting an unfettered moan from his prey. He chuckled to himself when she faked a cough to cover the sound. He shifted and sat beside her hips, "Time to turn over."

"I'm feeling very relaxed Zev, you don't…"

"Trying to renege on our agreement, mi querida? I don't think so, turn."

Her thin, cotton demi bra did little to camouflage the cold that washed over her now exposed chest and she knew he was taking in the view. "Yes, yes, I'm cold. No need to mention it."

"Does that mean I cannot appreciate the results? You have a beautiful body and it would be an offense if I did not take the time to properly admire your wondrous peaks and valleys. Don't worry, I will have you warm again in no time."

She closed her eyes in an attempt to hide from his gaze as well as avoid staring at his incredible physique. He was wearing his breeches very low across his hips and she wanted so badly to trace her tongue over every muscled ridge of his torso to the edge of that fabric and beyond. He wasn't as dark as Duncan, but his coloring was different, much more golden and it glistened in the wavering light of her tent lantern. This was entirely too torturous to be considered completely relaxing.

Again, he straddled her hips and warmed more oil in his palms before starting on her shoulders. He tenderly massaged each arm before turning his attentions to her collarbone and pectoral muscles. He solicited more squirming and giggling when he reached her underarms. She opened her eyes and tried to grab his hands to keep him from continuing. This earned her a stern, yet decidedly playful lesson from the assassin. He caught her wrists and trapped them above her head. Leaning down in a mock scowl, he admonished her behavior, "You will submit yourself to me as agreed or I will be forced to discipline you. Do I make myself clear?"

Erin secretly wished for a spanking, followed quickly by a thorough and long lasting ravishing. Being pinned by his strong arms while he commanded her obedience, coupled with having that lean, muscled chest pressed against hers was too much. The scent of leather and spices filled her nostrils and the yearning she had been trying to hold back spilled forth. Her eyes went dark with lust as she returned his stare.

He growled as his own resolve faltered. The sight of her sexually charged response to him imposing his will on her was his undoing. He pressed his groin against hers as he took her mouth with his own, forcing entry with a hungry and dexterous tongue. His grip on her wrists became more possessive as he slipped further into his role of conquering predator. His hips continued a slow and steady pace of pressure and release, coaxing moans and growls from her with every movement.

"Zev…" Erin tried feebly to get his attention when his mouth left hers to mark her neck. "Zev… please… not…" and another deep kiss stopped her from speaking. Finally, when he broke the kiss to mark her neck again, she managed to continue. "Zev, I can't… please. If you continue… I won't be able to stop and… I can't… not yet."

"Erin… I… I am sorry… I did not mean for this… It was not my intention to attack you _just yet_, mi querida. Brasca, but you are hard to resist woman!" He leaned back and ran his hands over his hair before bringing his eyes back to hers. There was no hiding his arousal now as it stood out prominently between their stomachs.

"You are hardly the _only_ responsible party here Zev." She was breathless and shaking as she spoke.

He caught her eyes beginning to glaze over again as she raked them over his body. He cocked his head and gave her a roguish, knowing grin.

"God, I can't be trusted around you right now Zev. I _really _can't." She crossed her arms over her eyes to keep from staring at him.

He chuckled and reached for her hands, gently this time, and pulled her arms away so he could see her face. He smiled at the sheepish and guilty look he found there, "I assure you, I will not feel even the slightest bit used should you wish to continue. I have every intention of eventually wearing down your resolve, my fair Traveler. You should know this by now. We are attracted to each other, no? What reason is there to deny ourselves such pleasures?"

She reached for something to cover herself and he took it as a sign to dismount. He did so and settled into a seated position in front of her. She sat up and he helped her slip her tunic over her head.

"It's not that, and yes, I'm aware of your intentions." She paused and offered him a warm, reassuring smile. "I don't mean to tease you, I _really_ don't. There's just… there's something I need you to be aware of. Something I need to come to terms with before… before I can let this happen.

"I have nothing against casual sex, as long as both parties remain respectful. And I have had my share of what we call 'friends with benefits' in the past and it can be a very satisfying arrangement. This is new to me. Usually, I'm in and out. I kill the bad guy and I go home. You remember that bad dream I had?"

Zevran tried to keep from frowning at the memory, "Yes, of course, and I still wish to know what happened."

"Well, you heard of Duncan, the Commander of the Grey who died at Ostagar, the one Alistair was so upset about, right?"

"I have heard a little of him. You two were… intimate, yes? Is this what you're trying to tell me? If so, I assure you, it doesn't concern me." Zevran felt a shimmer of jealousy cross his mind at the thought and cursed himself for it. What did it matter if it did not keep her from his bed? And even if it did, other than possibly hurting his pride as a master of seduction, this shouldn't bother him. He decided it was pride and nothing more.

"Well, it concerns _me_. Yes, we were intimate. We had all of three days together. This was hardly a relationship and we knew our time would be short. Not as short as it turned out, but there were no expectations just the same. My problem is that he died Zev. Even though my emotions ran no deeper than a genuine admiration and, well, a healthy lust for the man, it was still a painful loss."

Zevran reached his hand out to caress her cheek, "For what it's worth, I am sorry and I do not mean to make light of it."

"Thank you." She sighed before continuing. "It's silly and makes no sense… and I know it doesn't… but being with you so soon just feels like a betrayal. It feels… cold hearted, to move on so quickly. If we had gone our separate ways, no deaths involved, this wouldn't be an issue… but… am I making any sense at all?"

"Si, mi querida. I understand. So, as long as we both stay alive, say, another four weeks, I can freely ravish you?"

Erin laughed, "Hmmm, four weeks? In all seriousness, I can't give you a time period, but I promise not to keep you waiting for too long. I think just talking about it has helped tremendously."

"Ahhh… so maybe two weeks… since you already feel better?" He leaned back as he said it to avoid a playful swipe at his arm. "I guess I deserved that." They shared a good laugh while he collected his things.

"Zev, thanks for understanding. You've been a good friend through all of this and I… I just want you to know it's appreciated. I think I would have gone nuts by now if I didn't have you around to _distract_ me and keep me from getting too serious."

He kissed her forehead gently before wishing her a good night and retreating to his own tent.

He told Zev Junior he wasn't in the mood as he lay in his bedroll. He need only be patient and he would have someone else to coax his release from him. "'Friends with benefits'… now that is a useful term" he thought. They would spend the rest of their journey taking pleasure from each other and when it was all done, she would leave. No strings attached. This he could work with.

~TBC~

_A/N: World of Warcraft has just released a MAJOR content patch and I have 6 level 80 toons to re-spec and learn to play all over again. Chapter releases may be delayed as my guild get all the kinks worked out so we don't die everytime we go in to a dungeon._

_Translations:_

_Zev to Erin: mi flor delicada = my delicate flower_


	16. Chapter 16: Wine, Women and Song

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 16: Wine, Women and Song

June 1, 2010

When Erin woke the next morning, she could still feel the benefits of Zevran's skilled hands all over her body. The image of him growling above her as he held her arms and forced a passionate kiss into her mouth made her shiver. She loved an affectionately aggressive lover and the Antivan was definitely cut from that cloth.

She felt much more at ease with the direction their friendship was heading. In fact, she could almost see Duncan laughing teasingly at her for being so overwhelmed by the assassin. Zevran would not be waiting very long for her to surrender to him.

She made her way out of her tent and headed to the fire to see what was for breakfast. Wynne, Leliana and Morrigan were huddled together talking as they served themselves from the pots warming over the coals. They giggled and silenced each other when Erin approached.

Morrigan turned to her, a Cheshire cat grin across her lovely face, "Erin, 'twould appear Zevran left your tent quite early last evening. We were wondering, then, if all of his talk of sexual _prowess_ was just that, talk. I certainly would not have been satisfied by such a short encounter."

More giggling erupted from the women as they settled with their platefuls of breakfast.

Wynne, practically choking on a piece of bread, managed to draw a serious expression on her face, "Maybe my bosom isn't in quite as much danger as I had thought?" With that, they erupted in unceremonious laughter.

Erin didn't know if she should be pissed at them for saying such trite things about Zevran, or overjoyed that they were actually getting along and _laughing_ together. "Ladies, ladies, please. It took _every_ ounce of my control to not completely ravish that delicious man while his hands soothed all of the aches and pains from my body."

This time Wynne did actually choke on something and Morrigan had to rap her on the back to help her dislodge it. Erin thought she saw just a hint of pleasure cross the witch's features as she smacked the elder mage.

"Rest assured, he showed incredible stamina and control while giving me the best massage I have ever received. And that's saying something. I've paid the equivalent of over 200 sovereign for a massage from a master therapist before. And let me say this plainly, I am not one to kiss and tell, so any further inquiries will go unanswered. I am personally very certain that I will leave any such encounter wholly satisfied and most likely without the full use of my legs."

Leliana sighed, Morrigan dropped her breakfast and Wynne's jaw dropped.

Erin grabbed a plate as she made it over to the pots to get some breakfast, "It is good to see you all getting along so well though, and a little ribbing is definitely worth seeing each of you laugh heartily. I can bear being the brunt of a joke or two if I get to see you all enjoy yourselves now and again. But I would prefer that Zev was not the focus of your jokes, at least not in a manner that's cruel." They finished their breakfasts in relative silence.

From his tent, Zevran overheard the conversation at the fire and couldn't have been more proud of Erin and how she handled the situation. She had stood up for him, in no uncertain terms. It was an unusual feeling for him, this sense of pride and overwhelming appreciation for a woman, and it wasn't based on combat or sexual performance.

He realized he was attracted to Erin for much more than her appearance and her ability to wield a weapon. While those traits were certainly marvelous, he found himself drawn to her strength of character and wit as well. She was 'the whole package' as they say. "How very novel," he thought as he stretched and began dressing.

XXX

Soon, everyone was gathered around the fire as Aiden laid out their plans for the day. He, Wynne, Zevran, Erin and Dragon would go to the Bannorn and get as much information as they could from the people there. The rest would remain in camp and organize their supplies so they could head out early the next morning. It would take most of the day for his team to get to the Bannorn and back and he wanted dinner ready when they returned.

As the scouting party moved further into the Bannorn, they came across a large group of men arguing. Some were obviously Loghain's and Aiden recognized the others as Bann Telmen's men. Loghain's Lieutenant was demanding Telmen's land and Telmen's Lieutenant was showing no signs of relinquishing.

"I say if Bann Telmen does not wish to turn over his land, you men should leave it, immediately, or my team will be forced to aid in its defense." Aiden was matter-of-fact in his declaration, but his eyes showed his determination and readiness to do battle.

He really was a force to be reckoned with in battle, Erin thought. Too bad he had given up title to become a Grey Warden. If anyone would be a good ruler, it was Aiden.

Loghain's men drew their weapons and Telmen's Lieutenant shouted in defiance as he and his men followed suit. Aiden let out a fearsome battle cry before lunging himself towards three men, knocking one down with his shield and sending the other two backwards to avoid his longsword.

Erin and Zevran slipped invisibly into the fray and began their now familiar dance of blades and kicks. Aiden held their foes' attention while the two rogues dispatched them from behind. The three were a marvel of coordination and teamwork. Erin and Zevran effortlessly whirled around their foes, ducking and feinting each others' weapons and attacks.

Wynne furiously cast healing and warding spells on Bann Telmen's men, determined that they not lose a soul this day. Not to Loghain's treachery, not if she could help it.

Dragon guarded her ferociously, charging any would-be attackers before they could get within ten feet of the mage.

Aiden noticed Telmen's Lieutenant was beginning to lose his fight with Loghain's and called for Zevran to assist the man. The assassin disappeared in a fog of mist and reappeared behind his target. With a flash of one of his dagger pommels, he stunned the man before quickly ending his life with three rapid strokes of his weapons, severing his spine and puncturing both of his lungs.

Wynne drank a potion to recover her mana and rushed to the aid of those most gravely wounded. Healing energy poured out of her into Telmen's men until she was assured they would all live. Satisfied with the state of their injuries, she finally allowed herself a moment to rest on a nearby boulder.

Erin approached her with a purposeful stride, squatting down so that she was eye-to-eye with the mage. "You, my friend, are a _**force**_ to be reckoned with! You saved these men today. They live because of you. I am so proud to travel at your side."

Wynne looked at Erin with pride of her own showing in her aging eyes. "Erin, I believe that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

The two women shared a genuinely loving moment between comrades in arms, silently appreciating what the other had done and acknowledging their friendship.

Erin stood and took a seat next to Wynne as they both surveyed the field. "Our Aiden is quite the leader, don't you agree? So young, so fierce and yet entirely focused on what needs to be done. He would be nobility, whether he was born to it or not, don't you agree?"

"I do at that Erin. It is an honor to fight along such a worthy young man. It is a sad thing that you don't see such men more often."

"I agree. Men of honor and true courage in a leadership role are sorely lacking. And the world, _every_ world, is the worse for it. Thankfully, I find, most soldiers have those qualities in spades. Wynne, if you could see the brave men and women of America's armed forces…"

Staring off, past the field of battle, as if seeing soldiers just beyond the rise and smiling at them, Erin continued. "They are so young and they risk so much to defend the right to freedom of people all over the world. I am infinitely proud of what they do. Not always proud of their leadership mind you, but of them, I am."

Wynne seemed to follow Erin's gaze and in a reverent voice responded, "It is good to have such a fondness for those who devote their lives to defending others. Ferelden should do more for the men and women who fight her battles. _I_ should do more."

Zevran spotted the two women enjoying a respite in the sun and decided they were too enticing to leave alone. "Ahhh, my two most favorite women. You look so lovely after a good tussle. And such contented expressions you both have. Perhaps now you will allow me to rest my head on your bosom, my darling Wynne?"

"And the feeling of contentment is gone. Erin, honestly, what _do_ you see in him?"

Before she could even think about a response, her mouth betrayed her and Erin responded, "I have not yet seen nearly as much as I would like to. Crap, I just said that out loud, didn't I?"

Wynne and Zevran were shocked for a moment before they both broke down in laughter, fueled by the headiness of battle fatigue. Erin's face became increasingly red as she realized what she had said aloud, and then joined in the laughter.

Aiden walked over to his amusing trio with one raised brow and a devilish smirk on his handsome young face, "Now what has got the three of you in such hysterics?" Wynne waved him off, laughing too hard to respond. Erin couldn't look at him, or anyone else for that matter, and Zevran could only clasp the Warden's shoulder with one hand as the other held his belly.

"Well, whatever it was, I'm glad you're all unharmed. We're done here. They have agreed to allow us to salvage what we can from Loghain's men. Let's see what we can get out of this and get back to camp for dinner. Wine is on me tonight Erin, unless you have some more of those lovely spirits the Tranquil make Wynne?"

"I do have one more bottle left Aiden, but I would like to save it a while longer I think. Erin, whether you meant to or not, you have made me laugh more in one day than I think I have in years."

They looted some fairly nice armor and weapons off Loghain's men before setting back to camp. The trip was lighthearted and they enjoyed some of Wynne's more sordid stories from the Tower. She did, however, crush one of Zevran's dreams about orgies and the like. He seemed saddened that the rumors were not true. She quickly followed with an explanation of why most mages have an appreciation for robes. The knowledge seemed to brighten his mood, although he almost tripped over a branch while he contemplated the idea.

XXX

They reached camp just before nightfall and dinner was waiting as requested. The late arrivals ate and bathed before returning to the fire to enjoy a bottle of wine, or two.

Alistair was fidgeting when Erin sat down and finally made his way to her. "Erin, can I speak with you privately a moment? Nothing serious, just need to run something past you."

"Of course Alistair, let me fill my glass before we leave. Are you having wine? Where's your glass?"

"Yes… yes, I think that would be… good. I don't have a 'glass' though, maybe you can get me a mug while you are filling yours?"

"Certainly, I'll just be a minute."

Erin returned quickly and handed Alistair his mug of wine and they walked to the stream by the camp, well away from everyone else.

"What's on your mind Alistair?"

"I… I don't even know how to ask you this. Are you and Zevran… do you intend to be _with_ him? I know, it's none of my business and you can tell me to shove off, but… I'm concerned… about you, and… Oh, I don't even know what I'm saying. Are you sure you can trust him? What about Duncan?"

"Oh dear Lord Almighty, here we go," was all Erin could think.

"Alistair, you know how much I cared for Duncan and how much he cared for me. He and I became very close very quickly. However, I knew him _three days_. And no, it isn't truly any of your business, but you are a dear friend to me and if you have concerns, I want you to voice them. I may not agree with you, but I do want you to speak your mind with me."

"It just… doesn't it seem a little… _soon_ to you?"

"I have considered that Alistair, _trust me_, I have considered it. I have even talked to Zev and voiced my concerns. You know that Duncan and I made a promise to each other, to never regret what we had together, and to always think of each other with fondness. I know in my heart that he would want me to be happy. And Zev makes me happy Alistair. He is a fine man, regardless of what he may have done in his past. You do trust my judgment, don't you? You know I can sense the true feelings and intentions of others."

"I… yes, I do Erin. Maker, I feel like such an ass for even bringing this up…"

"Alistair, it concerned you and you needed to talk to me, your friend, about it. Now, understand others may not be so obliging when asked about this sort of thing and you could offend someone one day. But if someone is truly your friend, they will talk it out with you."

"Thank you Erin, that means a lot to me, it really does." He wrapped his enormous arms around the small woman in a generous hug.

With her head buried in Alistair's chest, Erin counseled him further. "You need to learn how to determine who is and isn't someone you should confide in and choose your conversations accordingly. In this case, you chose correctly and I'm glad you came to me."

They released their embrace and he offered his arm to her before escorting her back to the fire.

"Part of being a mature adult is knowing when you should speak and when you should hold your tongue. It is possible to remain true to your own moral beliefs without always having to voice your opinion. This has been a hard lesson for me as well and I still fail at it from time to time."

"I really do like talking to you, you know? You never get all preachy on me, and you haven't yelled at me once yet. I think that's a new record. Usually, I'm berated before I've known someone a full day."

As they neared the fire, Zevran caught sight of the pair and raised an eyebrow at Erin, a lascivious grin spread across his fine features. Erin returned his stare with an equally seductive smirk and playful eyes. Alistair waved his hands in front of him in a gesture of 'no, not what you're thinking' before settling next to Wynne.

Zevran raised his mug to Erin and patted the empty spot on the log next to him, beckoning her to sit by his side. She strolled over to him, hips purposely swaying a little more than necessary, before gracefully settling in beside the luscious Antivan. "I should have gotten another pull of wine while I was up, I'll be…"

He laid his hand on her thigh to stop her as an almost full bottle of wine appeared in his hands. He poured her a healthy measure of the deep red liquid. "So, mi pequeña tigresa, you seem quite happy and content. You appear to be feeling much better already, no?" He set the bottle down and casually placed his right arm around her back as he shifted to close any distance between them.

Speaking in Spanish, she responded. "I am indeed, my delicious hunter. And what do you intend to do with this information?" She turned a little so she could lean back into his chest and he brought his arm further around her waist.

Zevran lowered his head so that his lips brushed her ear as he responded in Antivan. "I intend to get you pleasantly giddy with wine, but not drunk, and then conquer you as my prize for being made to wait so long."

Erin responded again in their shared language. "Mmmm, it's a fine plan Zev, but you should know, like any worthy prey, I plan to struggle. You may have to _bind_ me to your will. However, I do expect to suffer for such insolence, and possibly even be forced to perform acts to appease your anger at my defiance." She was laying out her own set of ground rules and letting him know how she wanted this game to be played.

"Oh, should you defy my orders, you will be made to please me before I agree to release you. I believe we will be in for a very, _very_ long night should you try to resist."

"Then a long night it will be, for I plan to struggle… admirably."

"I do hope they all go to bed soon. Oh, mi querida, we may be a while. Leliana is bringing out the lute Aiden gave her."

"Well, Zev, if they get good and sauced, they won't hear us through the snoring."

They shared a quiet laugh as Zevran nipped her ear and kissed her cheek.

Wynne saw the exchange between the budding lovers and couldn't help but smile, even if a small pang of jealousy and longing shot through her. Oh how she missed the headiness of an affair.

Aiden's voice broke through the many private conversations and Leliana's lute playing. "A TOAST! Everyone, please stand and join me."

They all rose as their leader commanded and raised their mugs high.

Aiden continued. "To the thorns in Loghain's side! To our mighty band of outlaws, heretics, assassins and apostates! May we continue to fight the good fight and live victorious over our enemies! Cheers!"

"CHEERS!" They all replied as each of them took a hefty gulp of wine from their mugs. Well, all except the Sten, of course. He did at least "Hmmmph" loudly in what sounded like an agreeable response to Aiden's request.

Sten, having not a thing to drink the entire evening, offered to stand watch for a full eight hours with Dragon, so that the others could fully enjoy themselves. Erin had a small, electronic perimeter alarm that she set-up in a strategic location at the only entrance to the camp. They all marveled at the device as she set it up and then armed it with her PDA.

Morrigan put wards on several trees around the rest of the camp to sound an alert should someone try to descend the cliffs surrounding the camp and come at them through the groves.

It would be an evening of drinking and companionship. The group was truly becoming what every small army should be; comrades in arms united in their cause and shared hope for the future. They were each seeking their own form of redemption or freedom, and their fates had become irrevocably entwined.

It was a good night for campfires, wine, bawdy songs and laughter and they reveled in it.

Erin had many, many mugs of wine, as did Zevran, much more than either of them had planned. Somehow, it didn't seem to bother either of them that their plans would not be seen through to fruition on this particular night. They were enjoying each other's company in a completely different and entirely satisfying manner.

One by one, the drunken crew bade goodnight to those still at the fire. Eventually, only Zevran and Erin remained. He was propped up with his back against a large boulder next to the fire. Erin was seated comfortably on his lap with her back resting on his strong chest.

"Zev, I am sorry, but I fear I have gotten far past giddy in the drunk department."

"Ahhh, it is no concern, mi querida. I too have imbibed many, many mugs this evening. _However_…" he burped and was mortified by his body's betrayal. "Brasca, sorry mi querida."

Erin belched in return. "Quite alright Zev. As we say where I come from, 'Not bad manners, just good alcohol.' Or is it good food…"

Zevran cleared his throat. "As I was saying, I would still join you in your tent for the evening. I am content to simply undress you and sleep next to your gloriously naked form, if you will allow it."

Erin tilted her head back and nibbled on his right earlobe before whispering in his ear. "That is an agreeable solution. Shall we? Bring what's left of the wine." She rose, giggling, and offered Zevran her hand. He took it and almost brought her back down before steadying himself.

His face grew serious for a moment, "I do not want our first time to be… when we are drunk, mi querida. I will try to restrain myself in your presence."

Erin looked at him, very thoughtfully, before responding. "Fair warning, I may make that difficult for you. I can be a bit of a nympho when I'm drunk, but I understand and I will _endeavor_ to be a good little girl."

"What is a 'nympho'?"

Erin laughed so hard she coughed. "It is short for nymphomaniac, which is a woman who has a compulsive desire for sex."

"Oh, I do like the sound of that. Do you feel this way when you are not drunk?"

"Depends on you, Zev…"

He growled and pulled her close. "You should know better than to challenge me. But if it is a challenge you wish to raise, I will gladly take it."

Bringing her lips to his ear, Erin purred in a string of rolled Rs. "You do remember how I looked at you when you took my wrists last night, don't you? I believe you have already won this challenge, _Master_ Arainai." She let the warmth of her breath skim over the sensitive and elegantly pointed tip of his elven ear. "Get whatever you may need in the morning and join me in my tent, _please_ Master Arainai."

"I will be but a moment, mi querida."

They released their lusty embrace and each went to their tents.

Erin did not undress while she waited for Zevran to join her, which he did just moments later.

"Ahh, good, you have not slipped under the covers yet. I brought some more bedding." He quickly took in what he had to work with and created as luxurious a bed as anyone could, given the circumstances. "That should do nicely. Now, come here…" He pulled her closer and removed her tunic.

Erin couldn't begin to know how he did it, but Zevran managed to deftly unhook and remove her bra. He kneeled before her and quickly unbuttoned and unzipped her pants and slid them down her legs. Not being able to suppress the urge, he pressed his nose to the front of her panties and breathed in deeply. Erin gasped and grabbed his hair while he slid them past her hips and down her legs.

He stood slowly, a smile playing across his dimly lit features. "Now now, you said you would be a good little girl," he said as he waggled a finger in front of her.

"Oh, who's the tease now!" she thought to herself.

"Get in bed", he demanded and waited for her to comply. When she was safely tucked underneath her sleeping bag, he began removing his own clothing. He took his time, like a striptease without all the lewd dancing.

He was amazing as he stood naked in front of her. She was willing herself to be less drunk so they could go through with their previous plans, even though she knew it was futile. She didn't want their first time to be tainted by too much alcohol either.

He slipped in beside her and rolled her to her side, tucking his muscled body around her. "Sleep, mi querida, mi amante. I will be here when you wake."

The warmth of his body and the affection of his words and arms wrapped around her and she felt herself succumb to the blissful pull of dreams.

He watched her sleeping for quite a while, gently stroking her hair, before falling into a deep, contented sleep himself.

~TBC~

_A/N: Thanks to my Betas, Zevgirl and Biff. They had their work cut out for them with this chapter since I sent it while very sleepy. Sorry for the delay, again, but as I said, WoW is taking up some of my time these days._

_While reviewing the traffic for this story, I realized I have over 246 readers from 22 countries. The internet is a truly wonderful thing. I want to thank you all for reading and invite you to review and let me know what you like or do not like about so far. _

_Shout outs to all my readers from the following nations:_

_Romania (one of the best wines I ever tasted was Romanian), Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Croatia, China, Brunei Darussalam, Belgium, Sweden, Ireland (my ancestral home), Italy, Germany, France, Portugal, Finland, South Africa, Russian Federation (you have a large community here in San Diego and I have a dear friend that imports some delicious wine for us), Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and of course the USA. Thank you!_

_Translations:_

_Zev to Erin mi pequeña tigresa – my petite tiger_


	17. Chapter 17:  As You Command

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 17: As You Command

June 2, 2010

The next morning, those that had been drinking were sleeping in, each suffering from varying degrees of a hangover. Aiden woke early and relieved Sten from guard duty and the Qunari was now fast asleep in his bedroll with Dragon tucked in behind him.

Erin stirred and groaned at the pain in her temples and the taste in her mouth. She could feel Zevran's gaze, and his morning arousal pressed firmly into the cleft of her posterior. She let out a pained moan, a mixture of pleasure and anguish at the various sensations flooding her body and mind. "I feel like I tried to end myself last night and only succeeded in damaging half my brain. My head is throbbing."

"I'm certain Wynne is capable of removing the affects of a hangover. We will have to seek her out as soon as possible, no? Poor Zev Junior was hoping for a little fun this morning, but alas, I don't think either of us is quite capable of such things."

"Zev Junior is it?" Erin managed a smile at the nickname. "Please tell your sturdy companion that I will lavish him with my affections in hopes of redemption soon… _very_ soon." She reached for her canteen and took several shallow sips before offering it to Zevran.

"Did you hear that? She will kiss your injuries and make them all better my trusty friend." He grabbed the shaft of his erection and thumped its plump head against Erin's lower back several times. "He is pleased, mi amante."

She giggled and then groaned at herself for making such a loud noise. "Good, I don't want to upset him. I hope you're right, mi amante juguetón, and Wynne can indeed relieve hangovers. If not, I will be a useless blob. Oh how I would love to just lie in this tent all day long until I feel better. I doubt Aiden will be so inclined."

"Mmmm, that would indeed be a lovely way to spend a few hours, but I am certain you are correct and we will be marching again soon enough. I think we should lay here as long as possible before Aiden forces us to break camp, what say you?"

"I agree, whole heartedly and without even the slightest reservation. Zev, I'm going back to sleep now. Maybe, you can drug Aiden?" They laughed quietly before returning to their hangover rich slumber.

XXX

It felt like only minutes to Erin before Aiden rapped on her tent to wake them. "Shhhh, maybe he'll go away."

"Ah, I heard that, tent walls being thin and all. Time to wake up you two." Aiden shook the tent violently. "Wynne is healing us all up so don't worry about that headache you most likely have. There's some food left as well. If you don't come out in 15 minutes, I'll have Sten throw your entire tent in the stream, with you in it. You know he can do it." Laughing to himself, Aiden left the lovers to complete his own packing.

"I… think I feel better." Zev stated cautiously as he sat up. "Ohhhh, no… I do not," he groaned as he rubbed his temples. The usually immaculate assassin realized his hair was a complete disaster and would not be seen in such a state. "I must find my brush, this hair will not do."

Erin decided to get a good look at what he thought was bad and gasped out a chuckle before clasping her hand to her mouth to stifle it. "You know, I didn't think your braids could move. Guess they can." Grunting at the indignity of having to do anything feeling as she did, she set about getting her things together. "You have your own tent to worry about. I'll take care of this if you'll just grab your bedroll."

"Ah, you are a good person. I wouldn't know how to help you pack this tent anyway. However, you should probably teach me. I have a feeling we will be in this situation again in the very near future." He rolled on to his side and traced a hand across her shoulder and down to her breast. Leaning in, he gently suckled one while cupping the other and delicately teased the hard point with his thumb.

Erin let out a breathy sigh and twined a hand through his hair. "Oh, you are a bad, bad man Zevran Arainai. Do you _want_ Sten to throw us in the stream?"

"I am just saying good morning to your lovely bosom. Surely, there is no harm in that, hmmm?" He released her from his appreciative hands and brushed his lips across her jaw before kissing her cheek. "You are so very tasty, mi amante."

XXX

June 4, 2010

An unfortunate experience with a genlock rogue had kept Zevran from Erin's tent for the last two days. He had managed to catch a dagger to his stomach, and although Wynne was able to heal the wound, he was being barred from all strenuous activity. He wouldn't admit it, but he had become distracted during combat watching the foreign woman wield her Kyoketsu-shoge. It was only for a second, but he had missed a feint and that was all it took.

The group had been slowed somewhat by his injury and was still a good five days from Denerim. There was another map marker from the Chantry just to the south of the road and Aiden wanted to take care of the issue while they were nearby. The road-weary team arrived at their chosen campsite in the late afternoon.

The companions were setting up their tents when a tall, human man approached Aiden. "Warden, you are a hard man to find."

Aiden placed his hand on his sword hilt as the man approached. "Ho friend. Forgive us if we are a little skeptical of your sudden appearance, but I would prefer that you kept your distance for now."

"Ah, yes… of course Warden. Let me introduce myself then."

His name was Levi Dryden and he claimed his great, great grandmother, Sophia Dryden, was once Warden-Commander of Ferelden. Apparently, her rebellion against the king at the time, Arland, was what caused the expulsion of the Grey Wardens from Ferelden. It also caused them to abandon their ancient fortress of Soldier's Peak. The Drydens had an Arling but were stripped of all title and Levi wished to get evidence that would redeem his family name.

He mentioned that Duncan had been interested in helping him so the Wardens could reclaim the buildings there. Levi promised that his family would maintain the structures in return for their assistance.

Aiden conferred with Erin to find out if the man was telling the truth before deciding they would help him. The plan was to attend to the Chantry issue and then travel directly to Soldier's Peak. It would add about six days to their journey, if all went well, and could serve as a base of operations while they gathered their army. There was also a good chance they would find something of value or use.

Zevran stayed at camp while Aiden, Erin, Leliana, Wynne and Dragon took care of the Chantry problem. Sten stood watch while Morrigan tended to the assassin's wound. It was healing nicely, but still required regular bandage changes.

Morrigan applied a fresh poultice to the wound and was wrapping his torso in fresh cloth. "Twould appear that you and Erin have become quite close, Zevran. I believe Aiden would be the more appropriate target for your _affections_ since he holds your oath. Erin will leave when all is said and done and what will you do then assassin? The Wardens will have no use for your skills when the Archdemon is slain. Surely you know this?"

"Ah, you are worried about my future then, my lovely _Witch of the Wilds_? Truly, it warms my heart. I am sure I will come up with something, when the time comes."

Morrigan scoffed. "Now Alistair, should he become king, would certainly need a man of your talents."

"Are you giving me professional advice now, my dear Morrigan? You are a very devious woman. However, you do make an excellent point. I shall consider it."

"How you use your future is of no concern to me, I merely wish to know what your intentions are with Erin. If you are using her to remain close to Aiden, this will end badly for you." The witch smiled at him then, winking as she turned to leave. "You do know that she can read the intentions of others, do you not? She will know if you lie to her elf, and I for one would not want to be her enemy."

He lay back against his pack, his mask of indifference drawn over his fine, elven features. "Nor would I. I simply wish to be her _lover_. Honestly, can you think of a better way to spend the many lonely evenings we have ahead of us? No? I didn't think so. Thank you for tending my wounds, dear woman. It was most kind of you."

Aiden had all but released him from his oath already. Zevran knew he would be free to choose his own path once this Warden business was completed. His mind drifted to Erin's eventual disappearance and his mood grew somber. He would certainly miss her company and it wouldn't be just a matter of travel to see her again, it would be completely impossible. She would be gone from his life forever.

"Ah Zevran, there is no future in relationships for you. And why would you want one? Have you not already learned this lesson? No, to be free to travel where you wish and bed who you find desirable is all you require. Anything more is dangerous and a distraction. Would you be laid up in bed had you not already succumbed to such a novice mistake?"

He tried to believe what his mind was saying, but there was still a hint of melancholy at the thought of her leaving. As the sun warmed him and he drifted into sleep, he hoped his dreams would not bring Rinna. That was an experience he did not wish to relive at the moment.

XXX

The scouting party arrived after dark, none the worse for wear. There had been no surviving conscripts of Company Easthill, just lots and lots of wolves and a giant bear. Leliana found a diary on one of the dead and they would return it to the Chantry for his next-of-kin.

Erin immediately went to Zevran's side to check on his progress. "How are you feeling Zev? You didn't miss much, I assure you. There were lots of wolves and corpses, but nothing challenging presented itself. I discovered that my crossbow does very well against bears."

She leaned down and pressed a long, tender kiss to his lips. "Maybe it's time for me to give _you_ a massage? I'd guess you don't stay still this long very often and I bet you're more than a little stiff."

"Mi querida, I will show you exactly how _stiff _I can be as soon as Wynne takes me off bed rest." He reached around the back of her neck, pulled her mouth to his and kissed her sensuously. "Speaking of Wynne, where is our wonderful healer? Perhaps she will release me from my limitations and we can go to your tent now, yes?"

"Zev, are you sure…"

He pulled her into another deep, passionate kiss. "I assure you I feel no pain and am quite fit for strenuous exercise. Now, kindly fetch Wynne for me." He traced the curve of her jaw with his forefinger and nipped at her lips before he forced his tongue inside her once more. "I wish to join you for your bath this evening, mi amante, and then I plan to take you as my own."

The elder mage nearly bumped into Erin as she turned to fetch her. "Let's get a look at that wound young man. Aiden wants me to return you to active duty but I won't allow it if you aren't healing well." She kneeled next to him and removed his bandages before pressing her hands to the area to test for sensitivity and pain. "You appear to be well healed Zevran. You are returned to active duty. Please, do try to pay attention and avoid further stab wounds."

"Of course, my dear Wynne. It was your magical bosom that distracted me so. Perhaps if I were allowed to see it, just once…"

"One more word out of you and I'll stab you again myself and allow it to fester." Shaking her head at Erin, she turned and walked to her tent.

"Mmmm, so a bath together it is. Let us wait until everyone else has taken theirs and dinner is over. Then you can get your things and I will meet you outside your tent. I have some lovely soap I know you will enjoy."

XXX

Their companions finished dinner and were settling in for the night. Zevran nodded to Erin and they went to their tents for their things. She was actually becoming nervous while she changed into her camp clothes and grabbed her bathing supplies. Or maybe it was giddy. "Yes, definitely giddy," she decided.

They made their way through the trees surrounding camp to a deep pond. It was a pleasant evening and the moon was almost full, brightening their surrounding with its strange, blue light. Erin dipped a toe in the water and shivered. "I really miss warm water."

"Ah, but this temperature does such lovely things to your nipples. We will not remain any longer than is necessary, I am eager to return to your tent." He walked to her as she fidgeted by the water. "Are you… nervous, mi amante?"

"I… no, _of course not_. Well… yes… yes I am. I know it's silly. Oh God, I'm blushing, aren't I? Oh, I'm sure _that's_ attractive…"

He closed the distance between them and pulled her to him with both arms around her waist. "It is adorable, mi querida, and quite refreshing to see you flustered. I like that I am the only one allowed to do this to you." He tickled his fingers along her spine as he brought his hand up to tangle in her hair, pulling her head back so that she looked up at him. "I know how to relax you."

He kissed her chin before peppering her jaw with nibbles and flicks of his tongue. He pulled her head to the side to expose her neck and descended on the tender flesh with his lips and teeth. He sucked and bit the flesh to mark her and then pulled her blouse from her pants.

"First, we must get you out of these clothes. Undress." He took a couple of steps backwards and removed his tunic while he waited for her to comply.

She pulled the thin garment over her head and handed it to him. Then she removed her bra, glancing down shyly as he openly appraised her breasts.

"Continue." He removed his breeches and smalls, exposing his burgeoning arousal to her.

"Zev Junior is in for a treat," she thought as she giggled and unzipped her pants. She slid them down her legs before handing them to him as well.

"Mmmm, I do love the small clothes you wear, mi amante. Turn, let me see that marvelous behind of yours." When she complied, he continued. "Ah, they expose such a playful amount of flesh. Remove them."

She complied and stood with her back to Zevran. He approached her once more and wrapped his right arm around her stomach, pulling her tight against him. He slid his left hand up the length of her arm, across her collarbone and up to her long, graceful neck. Holding her throat with the slightest of pressure, he slowly brought his right hand down her belly until his fingers brushed over the soft hair at her mound.

"I want to _feel_ the reaction I cause in you, mi amante." He swirled his index and forefinger through the curly strands of hair as his reach went lower still, pressing his erection against her. She moaned loudly when his digits began playing with the flesh between her legs. Her hips jerked back involuntarily at the sensation and he gently tightened the grip around her throat.

"Are you mine to do with as I wish this evening, mi premio?"

She sighed against the hand holding her throat. "Yes, Zevran, I… I am."

He pushed a knee between her legs, forcing them wider apart. "You are what, mi querida?" He slid a finger inside her and cupped her tightly as it bent and teased her tender flesh.

Another load moan escaped her and she pressed her bottom against his groin. "I… I am yours, Zevran Arainai, to do with as you please."

Another finger entered as he set a slow rhythm, soliciting sounds of pleasure from deep within her. She could no longer control the movement of her hips as they ground into him, the thickness of him pressing almost painfully into the cleft of her muscled posterior.

He growled lustfully into her ear as he suckled the lobe. He matched the rolling of her hips with movements of his own as he coaxed her closer and closer to the edge. "I want to feel you shudder under my hand. Prove to me you are mine."

Zevran's thumb circled Erin's sensitive bud and her legs began to give. He lowered them both to the ground in a kneeling position, with her resting on his lap. The strong elf held the petite woman to his chest as his hand skillfully pushed her to the edge. She shook against him and bit back a scream as she reached her peak, calling out his name in ecstasy when it finally took her.

With a taught, muscular arm he held her until she stopped quivering. He slowly removed his fingers, eliciting one last quake from her body, before sucking each digit seductively. "You have such a heavenly flavor, mi amante." He slid his index finger into her mouth and bit her earlobe once again. "See, no reason to be nervous. That was easy, no?"

Still panting and breathless, she nodded in the affirmative.

"Now let's get you cleaned up so we can retire to your tent. I am far from finished with you and I believe you promised Zev Junior your _personal_ affections."

He gathered his soap and joined her in the water. After lathering up a small towel, he began bathing her.

"Zev, that smells wonderful, is it… lavender? I don't know if it would have the same name here."

He nuzzled her neck, causing her to giggle from the ticklish sensation. "It is called lavender here as well. Ah, I thought you might like it. Are you ticklish everywhere, mi amante?"

"I… yes, I am very ticklish."

He chuckled as he led her from the water to their towels. They dried themselves and dressed before heading back to Erin's tent.

XXX

Aiden stopped Zevran when they arrived back at camp. "I take it you two have plans for the evening? I have arranged to keep you both off guard duty. Zev, take care of her, but if you harm her, know that my retribution will be most unkind."

"Aiden, you have my word that I have no intention of hurting our fair Traveler. Tsk, I thought we were past such suspicions." The assassin laughed. "I am well aware of her abilities and I am not such a fool to think I _could_ harm her, even if I wanted to do such a thing, which I do not." He bowed to the Warden and slipped inside Erin's tent.

Erin was naked when he entered and she rose to greet him as he sauntered to her. "Will you allow me to undress you, master?" She traced his sensitive ear with her tongue before gently sliding the tip between her lips, suckling it while her teeth grazed the skin.

He shuddered and moaned as his lust was reborn. "Yes, you may undress me, on one condition. You must remain on your knees and tend to Zev Junior after you remove my breeches, understood?"

"As you wish, I am yours to command." Erin removed his tunic and spread her hands across the expanse of muscles she exposed. She tweaked his nipples before flicking her tongue over each, stopping to suckle and tease each one before lowering herself to her knees. He twined his fingers in her hair and moaned as she worshipped his body.

She traced the curves of his abdominals as her mouth moved down his torso. His eyes grew dark with lust and anticipation as he watched her get closer and closer to the top of his breeches. Resting on her knees, she pressed her hand against his hard shaft through the cloth straining to contain his erection. She undid the laces and reached her hand inside to position his throbbing member so it lay against his abdomen.

She pulled the top of his breeches down just enough to expose his velvety head which she began kissing and sucking. He thrust his hand into her hair, forcing her to look at him while he watched her pleasure him. She licked the evidence of his arousal from the tender slit of his tip and he growled his approval to her.

Sliding his breeches down the length of his legs, she took more of him into her mouth and moaned at the sensation of him filling her. The vibrations shot through him and his head flew back as he sighed and thrust deeper into her. He held the base of his shaft and guided himself in and out of her in a slow, steady rhythm, never taking his eyes off of their joining. He reveled in the sight of her submitting to his will.

She pulled back and looked up at him with deep desire in her eyes. "Zevran, please lay down. I will be much more affective with you in that position, I promise."

Without hesitation, he kneeled in front of her and kissed her hard, tasting his own musk on her tongue. He drew her to him as he reclined, not willing to part with her lips just yet. He pulled her knees to either side of his thighs and placed his shaft between her legs. He slid length along her moist entrance while his teeth and tongue explored her mouth.

She broke the kiss. "Zev, I wish to continue…"

He grabbed her wrists and spread her arms out beside them, forcing her against his chest. "I believe you are to do as you're told, are you not?" He arched his back, lifting her hips, and positioned himself at her entrance. Holding her chin firmly so she was forced to look at him, he growled aggressively at her. "You will comply or I will punish you, mi premio."

He thrust into her hard and deep and watched as her head flew back at the sensation of being filled by him. His gaze was full of passion, fueled by the act of finally taking her fully. His rhythm was slow but his movements were strong and deliberate. She braced herself atop him with her arms and began rolling her hips in a circle as he moved within her, matching his thrusts as she slide herself up and down his shaft.

"Ah, yes, mi amante, _dance for me_." He watched her body move gracefully above him as he plunged into her, again and again. She was indeed petite and he felt her muscles straining around his girth as his tip pushed against her wall.

They were both getting far too close to their peak and he stopped their movement with his strong hands on her rear. He gently lifted her so that her face was even with his, allowing his hard shaft to slowly slide out of her.

Zevran lavished her face with kisses and nibbles. "You may continue your earlier activity, mi querida."

Erin slithered down his torso, licking and biting his flesh on her way back to her prize. She settled between his taught thighs. "Zev, did you happen to bring any oils with you?"

"Ah, I do like the way you think, my lovely Traveler." He wrestled with his pack as she took him in her mouth again. Finding the delicately flavored oil, he handed it to her as he watched her attend to his erection. Her actions were skillful and betrayed her need to please him fully. She slowly slipped his shaft out of her mouth and reach for the oil, smiling at the appreciative gaze he cast on her.

She placed several drops of the liquid in her palm and smoothed it over her hands and fingers. She slipped one into her mouth. "Mmmm, very tasty." She allowed a drop to land on the tip of his head and then playfully licked it off before placing a few more along his shaft. She capped the vial tightly and set it aside before wrapping her fingers around him.

He propped himself up on his elbows and watched her intently, biting his lower lip as she descended on him again.

Bending her head low, she began stroking him slowly as she licked and sucked at his sensitive and hairless sack. She used her other hand to stroke the skin just below the treasure her mouth played with. He lifted his knees and spread his legs wider, giving her full access to all of his pleasure zones. His head fell back and he moaned loudly as the tension built up in him.

She moved her mouth to the velvet head of his erection, licking circles around the hood while cupping and massaging his sack. Still stroking the pleasure zone just above his entrance, she engulfed him with her mouth. Erin slid her moistened lips up and down his shaft while her tongue twirled round and round the hardened flesh.

He lifted his head again and focused his gaze on their joining. Zevran was not about to let the pleasure of watching her pass him by. His breathing was shallow and broken, his eyes black with lust and heavy lidded. He choked back moans as she brought him closer and closer to his release.

Erin slid her oiled fingers to his entrance and began testing his reaction. When he growled and pressed himself against her digits, she entered him. She stroked in and out of him, flexing and exciting the sensitive nerves inside the elf.

"More… Erin… MORE!" he demanded as she brought him closer to the edge, ecstasy engulfing him as she played on all of his pleasure points.

She slid one more finger inside him, stroking and stretching his entrance to the rhythm of her mouth sucking his thickening staff and head. She felt his muscles tighten around her fingers as his body shook with his orgasm. He cried out her name as he thrust deeper into her throat, spilling his release inside her.

She slowly pulled her mouth from him, sucking and swallowing the rest of his milky liquid before releasing him entirely. She peppered his sack with kisses as she removed her fingers from him and he shuddered again, more liquid spilling from the tip of his still hard erection. She licked him clean and he lifted her to him.

"I hope I have pleased you master. If I have not, I will try again when you are ready." She looked at him, a roguish smile playing across her devious lips. She knew she had satisfied him fully, and most likely shocked him with her skill as well.

Zevran held her to his chest as he tried to slow his breathing and waited for his vision to clear. "By the Gods woman, you… who taught you how to please a man? I… wish to thank them… personally and… possibly… offer them my first born child." He lifted her mouth to his and pressed kiss after gentle kiss to her lips. "Mi amante, mi amante muy generoso y atento, que me han gustado mucho."

"Mmmm, it was my pleasure _master_." She reached down and stroked Zev Junior playfully. "And he is pleased as well?"

He chuckled and placed his hand over hers as she held his shrinking member. "Mmmhmm, he is quite pleased and wishes me to tell you he looks forward to many, _many_ more of your kisses. He also wants you to know that he is not done with you yet, mi querida. We are simply resting and gathering our strength."

He continued placing affectionate kisses along her jaw and neck. "Ah, but you look tired, mi querida. Let us sleep now. How do you feel about morning sex, hmmm?"

"It's my favorite way to wake in the morning. You will find me very receptive." An unexpected yawn escaped her. "I am sleepy, mi amo generoso. So you will ravish me at dawn then?"

"Si, mi amante, si." He turned her so her back was to his chest and held her tightly, stroking her hair as her breathing slowly signaled she was asleep. He smiled as his prize slept contented in his arms. He had some catching up to do if he were to rebalance the scales of pleasure. She certainly made up for the time she made him wait, there was no doubting that.

He laid his head down and nuzzled his nose against her hair so he could breathe in her scent as he drifted off to sleep.

~TBC~

_A/N: Slight borrowing of some in-game dialog. Yay, they finally did it, well sort of. My smut chapters are always the longest, wonder why that is? Gee, however will I begin the next chapter, hmmm, any guesses? Wink, wink, nudge, nudge…_

_I love reading your comments, so please review. Thank you, as always, to Zevgirl and Biff, and to tgail73, Gixxer600 and Raven Jadewolfe for your wonderful comments.  
_

_Translations:_

_Zev to Erin: mi amante = my lover (there is no feminine for the word lover, not that I could find at Google)_

_Erin to Zev: mi amante juguetón – my playful lover_

_Zev to Erin: mi premio – my prize (award, and there is no feminine version that I could find. Changing the o to an a just made it plural.)_

_Zev to Erin: Mi amante, mi amante muy generoso y atento, que me han gustado mucho. – My lover, my most generous and attentive lover, you pleased me greatly._

_Erin to Zev: mi amo generoso – my generous master_


	18. Chapter 18:  Lost Souls Scream

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 18: Lost Souls Scream

June 5, 2010

_Erin struggled against the restraints holding her arms above her head. Zevran was teasing her mercilessly with kisses and nibbles all over her torso. She sighed as his mouth found her nipple again. He gently nudged his strong, left thigh between her legs and began tickling her in earnest. She wiggled and grumbled at the change in his touch. She heard someone call her name, faintly and seemingly miles away._

"_Zev, quit tickling me," she demanded._

"_Wake up, mi amante."_

"_Stop teasing me and take me already."_

"_Wake up, mi amante, and I will."_

Erin's eyes opened warily, testing her environment.

Zevran straddled her on all fours, hands on either side of her shoulders and knees beside her hips. A devious grin spread across his features. "Ah, finally, you awake. While I do enjoy watching your reactions while you sleep, I prefer you to be more, shall we say, _interactive_." Zevran leaned down and trailed kisses along her jaw to her ear, biting her lobe before whispering, "I believe you agreed to submit yourself to me this morning, did you not?"

She smiled at his attentiveness and excellent memory and then whimpered as his tongue traced her delicate ear. "Mmmhmm, you are correct. Although, I thought you already were. Such a lovely dream I was having." She stretched languidly and flirted with him behind half-lidded eyes.

"Mmmm, I do not wish you to disturb my progress further and therefore, you will be restrained. Do not struggle against your bindings lest you bring your entire tent down upon us. These 'poles' do not look like they can take much abuse." Zevran had already tied two leather straps to one of the strange tent supports and proceeded to bind the lithe woman's arms above her head. He waved a scarf above her and dragged it tenderly over her eyes before tying it firmly over them.

"Zev, no fair! You would deny me the pleasure of your wondrous features?"

Zev chuckled, "So impatient this morning, mi premiar." He gracefully slid his thighs between her legs, spreading her apart. The muscular elf pressed his groin to hers and lightly slid his erection over her. He smiled when she responded to his body with a gentle rolling of her hips. "You will feel me, I assure you."

He licked and suckled her lips in turn before slipping his tongue inside her and kissing her sweetly. Their kisses were always sensual and languid, their lips and tongues meeting in an unhurried dance that drove their passion deeper and deeper.

He tasted and nipped his way along her torso, paying attention to every feature as he made his way to her belly button. He uncapped the vial of flavored oil and allowed the liquid to pool at her navel and trickle down between her legs. "I do love breakfast in bed." He licked the red ambrosia and traced its trail lower and lower. He placed several more drops upon each thigh, lapping it up as it neared her axis.

Erin was struggling to keep her voice down in the pre-dawn hour. Their companions would be waking soon and surely someone was still on watch. She didn't want their activities to be overly obvious, but Zevran's adroit mouth was making it very difficult to remain silent. He expertly stimulated her with his tongue and nibbled all the right places with gentle teeth. He was truly a master in the sexual arts.

Zevran sensed Erin's limbs grow tense as her release pulsed just under the surface, threatening to break through. He slid two fingers inside her and stroked gently as he brought her over the edge.

She nearly forgot her bindings and the tent shook violently before she stilled her arms above her. The feeling was intense and she wanted to force his mouth from her, but didn't dare move her arms.

He smiled triumphantly at the woman restrained below him, forced to remain compliant as he continued his ministrations unabated. When her trembling was reduced to a few, sporadic shudders, he retraced his path back to her luscious lips and kissed her again. "Do you want me, mi premiar? Do you need to feel me inside you?"

"You know I do, Zevran Arainai."

Grasping her lower back with one hand as the other steadied him, he entered her with abandon, hard and possessive. Again he watched her fight against her bindings as he filled her and wrought more sighs of pleasure from her already oversensitive body. The assassin was not gentle and his movements were deliberate and hungry. He slammed in to her again and again as he claimed her body as his own. She was his Traveler, his foreign lover, his warrior from another world.

He cut her hands from their bindings and she immediately sought out his body. Still blindfolded, she traced her fingertips along the flexed biceps holding her tightly to his chest, up over his collarbone to his shoulders. She gripped him desperately as he took her. Her body and mind reeled from the bliss and pain of his forcefulness. He brought her to her climax again and she felt him swell inside her as his movements became irregular. The increased pressure against her tightening muscles threw her over the edge and she was rocked to her core when it hit her.

The feeling of her tightening around him was overwhelming and Zevran groaned as the pleasure of it washed over him. He gripped her thigh painfully as he found his release, his mouth buried in her neck, biting the tender flesh as he shook.

He lay on top of her, barely keeping his full weight from crushing her as their sweat pooled between their bodies. When he finally began to shrink inside her, he slowly slid himself out and rested his head on her chest. Her heartbeat was strong and her breathing ragged. He found the sound of it strangely reassuring and smiled while slipping her nipple between his lips. He released and licked it gingerly before rolling over and pulling her on top of him.

Erin removed her blindfold and straddled her Antivan, smiling in satisfaction. "You certainly know how to wake a girl up in the morning, Master Arainai."

Zev crossed his forearms behind his head as a playful smirk lifted the corners of his mouth. He took his time memorizing how the sweat from their exertions clung to her skin as she held her hair off her neck to cool herself. "I have pleased you, mi premiar? Ah, good. If you require a further demonstration of my sexual expertise, I will be more than happy to indulge you."

He reached a hand behind her neck and pulled her mouth to his. The kiss was soft and he allowed his lips to linger for a moment while he traced the curves of her waist and hips with his hands. "Mmmm, you have the most delightful curves, my deadly sex goddess. However, if you do not wish a repeat performance, you should seek out a different perch. Zev Junior wishes to play some more."

Erin raked her eyes over Zevran's torso, marveling at how golden he looked in the dim light of dawn with moisture clinging to his skin. His loose hair clung to his face and his biceps and chest muscles rippled underneath the taught skin as he reclined below her. She reached between them and grasped Zevran's hardening member. "Oh does he now? And so soon? You both have admirable stamina, seems a waste to let it go unutilized…"

Zevran pulled her back to him and with a gentle rocking of his hips, entered her again. They made love tenderly, without the desperation of their earlier tryst, before getting their things together to bathe.

XXX

Aiden approached Erin as she broke down her tent. "You look even more lovely than usual this morning Erin. I dare say you even look peaceful." He smiled at her as he helped her fold the strange fabric.

She smiled back at him as a blush colored her cheeks and heated her skin. "That obvious, is it? I… we weren't loud were we?"

Aiden laughed, "No, _you_ were very considerate. Although, I believe I know far too much about Zevran's various expletives now. You would think an assassin would be quieter. I must admit, I am more than a little jealous, considering how much noise you drew from him last night... _and_ this morning." He winked at her and they both laughed.

"Ah, my fair Warden, you are more than welcome to join us, _if_ my lovely paramour is so inclined. I am not beyond sharing and it would be selfish of me to decline your request to taste her more… exotic flavors. She is a most delectable dish, our Traveler." Zevran lightly traced the outline of Erin's ear and she shuddered.

Aiden cocked an eyebrow at Zevran and glanced over his shoulder at Leliana before returning his gaze to Erin. He smiled devilishly at her, "Hmmm, something to keep in mind, and a very generous offer Zev." He walked to Erin and took her hand. He pressed his lips to her knuckles and allowed his tongue to lightly graze the soft flesh between her fingers. Placing a hand on Zevran's shoulder, he purred into the elf's ear, "Very generous indeed."

Both Zevran and Erin trembled slightly at the attentions from the strong, tall warrior. Aiden laughed again before bowing graciously to them both and returning to the campfire.

Erin shook her head. "Oh, he is a clever little devil, isn't he? Silent all these weeks together and _now_ he starts flirting? And I believe you were the target as much as I was."

Zevran couldn't stop the belly laugh that escaped him. "My dear, I believe he is having us on. He seems quite smitten with the red-headed bard, does he not? Hmmm, perhaps things are not progressing to his liking though. Oh, I do love a good scandal. I suppose we should keep this in mind, should we not? He is such a wonderful example of the human, male form."

Erin lowered her head as she shook it violently. "I am _so_ NOT ready for this conversation." She walked away from Zevran to finish her packing.

Zevran couldn't help but fantasize about the three of them together. Aiden was an incredible specimen and absolutely delightful company. There were far worse ways to spend one's time, he was certain. He would have to work on Erin's resolve, just in case Aiden meant to make good on his flirtations in the future. A few, well-placed fantasies during their lusty encounters should do the trick. He sighed in contemplation as he returned to his packing.

XXX

June 8, 2010

The trip to Soldier's Peak was arduous at best. They had to make their way through a labyrinth of caves for two days before finally seeing sky above them again. Throughout the journey, Levi seemed to have a preternatural knowledge of which path they should take. It set Erin on edge and she had an increasing sagacity of foreboding as they traveled deeper and deeper into the mountain. Her senses came alive and she knew, and felt, that a great evil lay ahead of them.

They emerged from the mountain pass at nightfall and decided to set-up camp in the shadow of the great fortress. It was an absolute marvel to Erin. The ancient keep was a series of massive, stone structures built higher and higher up the face and peak of the mountain. She couldn't believe how so much of their ancient architecture remained intact in this world, considering the presence of dragons and the multitude of wars that had been waged over the centuries. Dragons definitely explained the extensive use of stone, however.

Legends and fables on Earth often spoke highly of Dwarven craftsmanship. She thought, perhaps _they_ were responsible for many of the structures in Ferelden since it was their homeland as well. From her study of history, she knew that the buildings, temples and castles that held up the best did so due to the precision of the stone cutting more than anything else. She would have to find some books on the subject as it was far too interesting not to study further.

A cold wind blew down the mountain and she shivered. It carried more than a temperature chill on its wings. There were whispers and memories swirling in its air. Souls were trapped here and they called to her for help.

Aiden saw Erin studying the fortress, unmoving as the air swirled around her. The others had taken shelter from the flurry carried on the strong currents, yet she stood mesmerized. He rushed to her side. "Erin, the air is freezing around you, colder than anywhere else! Come, we are building a temporary shelter and Morrigan and Wynne are casting shielding spells around us." He looked at her with concern as she made no effort to move or even acknowledge his presence.

The voices calling to her were desperate. Their pain and anguish flooded her and she wept for them. She turned to Aiden, her eyes glowing with the blue-white light of The Traveler even though she had not changed forms. In an ethereal, detached voice, she finally addressed the young man. "They're trapped here Aiden. We must set them free. There is… there is great evil here. I believe one of the Devil's minions has made this his playground. This will not be an easy fight, Grey Warden."

Zevran saw the eyes of his lover as she spoke to their leader, he heard her voice, and he shivered with the knowledge that something was most definitely not right. He bundled himself up in his cloak and ran to the pair. He touched Erin's arm and she turned to him, that strange light flowing over him in the process. "Mi amante, what is it?" A shiver shot through his spine as the frigid air around her hit him full force.

Erin smiled reassuringly at her lover and placed her hand on his arm. "You must be prepared Zevran Arainai. There are some foes you cannot help me fight. Promise me, you will do as I ask when I ask it." She allowed her form to travel to her hand and let the energy from within her travel into her lover's arm.

Zevran's eyes grew wide as the understanding passed unspoken between them. He did not like it, but he would do as she asked. "I... I do not like this, mi premiar, but I will do as you ask of me when you ask it. What is up there? What are we facing?"

The rest of their companions joined them and the mages tried to dampen the cold swirling around the group as they listened to the conversation. Wynne looked to Morrigan with fear in her eyes as they struggled to maintain a barrier around their companions. "The vale is thin here. I can feel souls of the departed calling to you Erin. What is going on?"

Alistair shivered. "I agree with Wynne, this place is wrong, all wrong."

Erin looked around at her companions gathered together. "I cannot know for certain until we meet, but a strong enemy awaits me here. A very strong enemy. It will have command of legions of demons, but until I know its name, I do not know how many I must fight."

Zevran shook his head. "How many legions? And what is a 'legion'? What does this all mean? Twenty or fifty adversaries? More?"

Erin tried to reassure him, but she knew giving him the range of numbers would make that impossible. "Zevran Arainai, do not let numbers concern you. What the entity commands and how many of them he can bring into being before he falls are two different things."

Zevran looked at Erin sternly, no longer willing to be cajoled into believing he should not aid her in the battle to come. "You will stop calling me by my full name as if we do not know each other. You may be The Traveler, but you are still Erin. Why must we even fight this battle? Why not simply turn around and leave it be? If it has been here for this long, surely, it can remain a while longer."

Aiden was now extremely worried as well and grasped her forearm, nodding at Zevran in acknowledgment of their shared concern. "Erin… Traveler, tell us, how many demons can one of these entities command? Can we afford to simply leave this place as it is? I am willing to abandon the structure altogether if it will keep us from fighting a foe we need not face."

Sten crossed his arms over his chest and looked down his nose at Erin. "Kadan, I would not suggest leaving the battlefield before the fight has started, but if this is not necessary to our goal of defeating the Archdemon and ending the blight, then I must insist we abandon this fortress and move on."

Erin knew convincing her companions would not be easy, but leaving a powerful demon alive in a world at the brink of destruction was not an option. Could this be why she was here, and defeating the Archdemon was never her true goal to begin with? Perhaps that was up to the Grey Wardens alone all along. "When I say that a strong enemy lies ahead, what I mean is that one of the Devil's Kings, Dukes, Princes, Marquises, Counts or Presidents is here, let's just call them his lieutenants. They are capable of bringing down your world just as easily as any Archdemon, and in many cases, more so."

The group gasped at the revelation of rank and scope assigned to the foe in the fortress.

Erin sighed and forced the slight manifestation of her Traveler form back to her core. "There is a chance that I was brought here to fight this foe and _not_ the Archdemon or the darkspawn. You already have an order to protect you against those threats. Your world is being attacked on two fronts and I fear you are at the brink of destruction and complete extinction of all of your races. I have never read of such an assault on a world before. Do not doubt me when I say that the evil in this fortress must be slain if you are to live."

The group was in shock, but they all knew she was deadly serious and none of them doubted her words.

Zevran struggled to maintain his composure. If this was what she was sent here to kill, would she simply disappear when it died? Would she even live through the battle if this was the sort of cumulative war her order was sent to wage? "That does not explain why you must fight this alone. And you still have not given us a number, or did you think we had forgotten about that?"

Erin shook her head and began pacing between the intense glares of Zevran, Aiden and Alistair. "Zev, each of the Devil's lieutenants command a number of legions, usually between one and two-hundred. A legion is comprised of over sixty-five hundred demons. Each lieutenant is responsible for different temptations, curses or plagues against mankind, and their demons are at work all over the universe doing their bidding. Some of them are benevolent and pose no danger to mankind whatsoever, but that is most definitely not the case here."

Aiden held up his hand to stop her. "So you are saying this… thing… could have over six-hundred thousand demons at its disposal to fight you? You can't fight that many demons! It's impossible!"

Morrigan sighed in exasperation. "Tis apparent no one else was paying attention when she stated these demons were employed all over the universe. Erin, if I understand you correctly, and how these multiple dimensions work, this entity could only summon a fraction of its minions to its defense. Is this an accurate assumption?"

Erin breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, someone understood her. "You are absolutely correct. Thank you, Morrigan. I was beginning to think no one was actually listening to me." She gave Zevran and Aiden equally stern looks and they each turned away. They were either embarrassed that they had not truly heard her as the witch had, or still not convinced the fight was winnable.

"I assure you, I have fought hundreds of demons in the past and come away without a scratch. I have also sent two kings, one president and one marquis back to hell, personally. This is not my first battle. I know you can't begin to understand what I truly do and what those of my order are capable of, but you must have faith or you will make my job infinitely harder. If you cannot support me or stand aside, then I will simply go on without you.

"This. Is. What. I. Do.

There is no middle ground for those of my order. I kill the Devil's lieutenants and they send me home as a reward, or I die trying." She regretted the words as they left her mouth. She saw Zevran's eyes sadden for the briefest moment before falling back behind his mask of indifference.

"Kadan, if you say it must be done, then I support you." Sten looked at Erin and almost smiled in approval as her true calling was revealed to him. He decided she was more than worthy to hold the title of Kadan if she was capable of single-handedly defeating such demons. He was not convinced she would not require aid, but if she ordered him to stand down, he would do so.

Alistair said what was on Zevran's mind and the elf was thankful for the chantry boy's directness for the first time. "Erin, if you are successful, and this is indeed why you were sent here, does that mean you will simply vanish when the demon is slain?"

Leliana gasped and held her hand over her mouth. She choked back a sob as tears strained her eyes. "Oh Erin, I… I'm not ready for you to go. You can't go. We need you." The bard turned her head away as Aiden tried to comfort her.

The rest of the group looked on in anticipation of her answer.

"I… yes, Alistair. If this is indeed the demon I was sent to kill, I will be gone when it is done. I… I didn't… Oh fuck it. I need some time to myself." She turned away from them all and went to set up her tent.

Zevran saw the pain and tears in her eyes as the realization that she could be leaving them all, so very soon, hit her. He looked to Aiden and the men shared a somber moment as the depth of what may lie ahead sank in.

Aiden turned to Wynne, who was looking more than a little distraught herself. "Wynne, do you think you could comfort her? I think you are in the best position to understand what she may be feeling right now, am I right?"

Wynne smiled at the young man. He was so wise for his age. "Yes, Aiden, of course." She turned to Zevran. "I will not be long. Perhaps you can set-up her tent for the two of you while we speak?"

Zevran slipped behind the familiar mask he wore. "Ah, will you be joining us, my fair Wynne? Her tent is very spacious, more than enough room for the three of us." He waggled his eye brows as she snorted in his general direction.

"You are impossible!" She turned on her heels and left them to join Erin.

Aiden crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the elder mage storm off. Without turning to face the Antivan, he scolded him, "You know, right now might not be the best time for that sort of humor." He then made his way over to the others making camp.

Zevran was left by himself in the frigid air of the clearing. His lover could die or leave in less than twenty-four hours. His inner self struggled with the assassin he was trained to be. One part of him was mourning her and the other was admonishing him for even having those feelings. The assassin within sneered, "You are being a fool, Zevran. You knew this was the ending you and she travelled towards. Have your night of pleasure and be done with it."

He took in a deep, cleansing breath before walking back to the others.

~TBC~

_A/N: My first cliffhanger! Hey, quit throwing things, that hurt! Sorry to do this after all this time without a chapter. I have recently started a new job and there's that darned World of Warcraft expansion coming out on December 7. So lots of changes to that game as they prepare for the release and fun, pre-expansion "event" stuff to do. (OMG, elementals are attacking the capital cities! Oh wait, 4 new bosses with high level loot that you can farm until the item you want drops? Count me in!) Also, lots and lots of user-interface tweaking going on as all the mods are being fixed, updated, broken, fixed again, etc._

_Please review and let me know what you think. Hopefully the "morning sex" balances out the cruelty of a cliffhanger. I am already writing the next chapter, so it shouldn't be long! This one was just getting way to large and would be twice as long if I put the rest in here too._

_Mi Premiar – my reward. Not necessarily the feminine of mi premio, but sounds better, IMO._

_Thanks to my betas, Zevgirl and Biff!  
_


	19. Chapter 19: I Love the Way You Lie

Prayer for the Traveler

Chapter 19: I Love the Way You Lie

June 8, 2010

Zevran halted his movement towards his companions and disappeared into the darkness near Erin. She was fidgeting with the strange tent supports and making no progress in erecting the structure. The shadows of his past whispered. "Protect yourself… leave these people". The faint sob of a small elven boy crept through his thoughts and he heard a familiar voice pleading with him. "Leave and be spared the pain of watching another woman you care for die, or leave you to wander this new path alone."

It would be an uncomplicated thing to slip away in the middle of the night. He would have no trouble navigating the caves of the mountain pass and could simply join the many Fereldens boarding ships for other ports, attempting to escape the Blight. He hung his head. "I cannot do that. I will not betray the man who spared my life." No, Zevran Arainai was no coward, and he had made an oath to Aiden in return for his life. He had his honor, at least.

He felt the walls around his heart strengthening, preparing him for the loss of her. He had been foolish to let her in, knowing full well she could not be his for long. He wasn't sure when she had become more to him than a simple bedmate, but he couldn't ignore the pain that welled inside him as he watched his lover's face contort with restrained emotion.

He decided it was for the best that they say their goodbyes now. There would be no final night of passion between them. He would erect her tent and sleep in his own. They would face this fight together, but as comrades in arms, nothing more. He allowed the stone to close him off entirely, slipped out of the shadows and sauntered over to the foreign woman and elder mage.

XXX

Erin struggled to control herself as she fumbled with her tent poles. She wasn't ready to leave her companions and wanted to stay with them until the Blight was ended. She would miss them all terribly and just wanted a little more time with her wonderful Antivan elf. She didn't want to leave this place and never know what happened to them. She would spend her days wondering if they had succeeded; if they all lived and how, ultimately, each of them died.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned, startled, to see Wynne's concerned eyes. "Ah, Wynne. I'll be fine. I just… I thought I would be with you all until the very end and now…" She tried to turn away from the elder mage but Wynne moved in front of her and grasped both of her shoulders, forcing her to face her.

"Erin, please, come with me and let us see if we can't talk this thing through. You need to resolve your internal conflict and make peace with your destiny before you meet this enemy tomorrow." She looked kindly upon the smaller woman, waiting for an answer.

Zevran reached for the tent poles Erin was holding and laid a hand on her forearm as she relinquished them. "I will see to your accommodations for the evening, Erin. Please, go and speak with our fair healer. It is as she says. You cannot meet this foe if your mind is not focused." He tried his best to ignore the electricity that passed between them as he touched her.

Erin was stunned by the lack of affection in the assassin's tone, and his use of her formal name. She saw a distinct difference in his eyes as she handed him the poles. He was shutting himself off from her and she sensed his need for distance. Internally, she screamed at the pain of losing him, but she knew why he was doing it. He had tried to maintain a façade of confidence and cool detachment during their affair, but was slowly letting her in as they spent more and more time together.

The conflicted woman did her best to hide what he had unknowingly revealed to her as she turned away from the elf. She wondered what would happen between them if she did not, in fact, leave after this fight ended. Would they spend the rest of their time as nothing more than fellow soldiers? Was it selfish to want more even if it meant his pain would be that much worse when she did finally leave?

Their eventual separation would injure her tremendously, regardless of how they spent their remaining days and she would rather they shared that time as lovers. However, if it were too heavy a load for Zevran to carry, she would not burden him with her affections in the future. But that was an argument for another day, and one that may never come to pass.

Erin reluctantly allowed Wynne to lead her to an alcove in the mountainside that provided a natural barrier to the harsh weather of the area. "I'm not sure what there is to say Wynne. There is nothing that _can_ be said to ease the pain I will feel when I leave you all behind. I will mourn Zevran as if he had died when I return home, I will mourn _all_ of you. I know what I'm up against."

Wynne took Erin's hands in her own and gently rubbed the back of one with her thumb. "I understand, but there is also the matter of…" The elder mage blinked back tears of her own and took in a deep breath to strengthen her resolve before continuing. "There is the matter of what we should do if you are not successful. Are you truly ready to face the consequences should you fail to defeat this demon?"

Erin lowered her head, shaking it as her shoulders trembled under the pressure of restraining her aching heart. "Tonight, I will meditate and prepare my mind and soul for what I face tomorrow. I will say my goodbyes to everyone in the morning. I will also prepare a will, of sorts, in case I fall, so you know how to…" She shuddered briefly, but found the determination to look the elder mage evenly in the eyes. "So you know how to dispose of my body and equipment.

Erin let her eyes fall to the ground once more as she gathered her thoughts. "Please… take care of Zevran. He will be more damaged than he lets on when I leave. It will create a void and he will self-destruct if the rest of you don't rally around him and let him know he still has a place in this world. Make sure he is surrounded with supportive people who will allow him to choose his own destiny. Remind him that he is better than those who bought and sold him and that he is not what they tried to make him."

Wynne gently cupped Erin's cheek. "I give you my word, Erin, he will know he is cared for and needed. I have seen the change in him and I know how protective he is of us all in battle. His actions speak much louder than his words. It may have taken me a while to see it for myself, but I know why you care for him so."

Erin forced a smile from her pained expression. "He has a good soul Wynne, but he is also closing off his heart tonight. Do not let him spend too long behind the wall he is erecting. But thank you. I can't tell you how much your words comfort me."

"Erin, do you feel at peace with your life? Are you happy with what you have accomplished? Is there anything else I can do to help you prepare?"

"My meditations will help tremendously and it is through them that I make peace with God and reconcile my life. It will be a late night for me, but I will let Aiden know I must be allowed to sleep in. I will be ready when the time comes to march on the fortress, and I have no intention of failing. We will have to have a camp meeting in the morning so I can prepare everyone for what will happen when we face the lieutenant."

Erin felt a snowflake land on her nose and smiled at the simple happiness such a small thing could stir in her. She allowed her gaze to wander over the trees to the three-quarter moon overhead, then down to the bustling camp and her companions. "I am infinitely thankful for the honor of knowing you all. Being part of such a lively and talented group is an experience that will stay with me all of my days. We have laughed and bled together, shared meals and good wine. These are happy memories."

She returned her eyes to the mage in front of her. "Thank you Wynne. Speaking with you has been very helpful."

The two women embraced before returning to the others.

XXX

Their companions had finished setting up all of the tents and were building a bonfire. Leliana and Alistair were making dinner from the dried rations they had been saving. Thank God Leliana was supervising the young man; he could kill the entire party with his cooking if left to his own devices.

Erin didn't see Zevran and was making her way to her tent to search for him when Levi approached her. He looked like a man going to confession. "Erin, I don't know how to thank you for doing this. I overheard what you said to the others. Please believe me when I say I had no idea this would happen when I asked for your help."

"Levi, you couldn't have known what we would face. If you had not found us, things would be far worse later on. It is out of our hands now, and perhaps, always was. I believe you were sent to bring us here so this enemy could be faced before the Wardens attack the Archdemon. Please, do not blame yourself for something you had no control over." She grasped his hands reassuringly before slipping inside her tent.

Zevran stood when she entered the tent and made no effort to approach her. His facial features were completely indifferent as he watched her move closer to him. She knew in her heart that he was about to break the organ in two. She steeled herself for both their sakes. "Zevran, I know what you intend to say and I understand why you feel you must do this."

The assassin lowered his head before regarding her with a knowing leer as he snickered at her. "Ah, so you have used your abilities to read my intentions then? Am I to be denied any privacy?" His voice was unwavering and there was an accusatory bite to his words.

Erin was ashamed that she had breached his trust in such a manner, but she would have done it again to know what was in his heart. "Yes… I did, Zev. In my defense, it was nearly impossible to ignore the feeling of you shutting yourself off from me." Her tone was equally abrasive and she immediately began back-peddling to reset the conversation to a more amiable atmosphere.

The elf glared at her and made a motion to leave the tent when she gently grabbed his forearm. "God, I'm sorry Zev. I didn't mean that. Yes, I betrayed your trust when I saw you closing off from me. I apologize, but I think we're both doing what we can to shield ourselves from the inevitability of my leaving. We cannot leave it like this. I don't think I'm strong enough to watch you leave me in anger."

Her will faltered for a moment as her breath hitched and caught on the pain and fear she swallowed. "You'd think, at my age, I would be better at this, wouldn't you? Damn my pride and Irish temper. I've always been quick to turn against someone I have wronged. A significant, personality flaw, I know…" Her statement trailed off into something unintelligible as she continued to berate herself.

Zevran stilled and took a deep breath. How many times had he done the very same thing, and wasn't he, in effect, doing it now to protect himself? The assassin allowed his demeanor to soften, ever so slightly, and lifted her chin until her eyes met his. For a brief moment, as her pained expression came into view, he thought to continue admonishing her for sensing his feelings and then leave. Let them fall away from each other in anger and resentment, but her eyes tore a small hole in the wall around his heart and he couldn't do it.

He smiled at her. "We are so similar, my Traveler. You must promise me to never try to read me again. _Can_ you promise that?" The Crow studied her features and searched for any sign that she was lying when she responded.

"Sometimes, it's really hard to shut myself off from what others emote, but I promise, I will always strive to do so with you. It takes practice and more skill than simply feeling what everyone radiates, but I _can_ shut it off."

He was satisfied that she spoke the truth, although certain she wouldn't be successful at not reading his intentions in the future, however long that may be. "I am sorry, but that is not sufficient."

"So you plan to end any intimacy between us, Zev? I won't pressure you into anything that makes you uncomfortable…" She stopped talking when she saw that the slight glint in his eyes had gone black. She knew his answer before he spoke it.

"I am sorry, but yes, I must end this. As much as I have enjoyed your… _company_, I see no point in avoiding our eventual separation. Furthermore, I am not willing to share a bed with someone who can so easily bypass all of my training and know things I do not wish to be known."

He dropped his hand from her chin and took several steps towards the opening of her tent. "We have had our fun, but this is for the best, my Traveler. Sleep well." He bowed and left.

Her heart shattered as he left, then turned as cold as a steel blade left in the snow. After all they had been through, how could he abandon her on the eve of her possible death? "Fuck him if he wants to be a coward. Damnable elf is always using _his_ training to read _me_. How the hell is that different from what I do?"

She seethed as she searched her pack for her PDA and speakers. If he wanted to retreat within himself, so would she. It was high time she started treating this mission like those of the past. Get this thing done and go home. No more bonding with others and certainly no more sexual encounters. "At least Duncan was a _man_ about this sort of thing." She realized she had said that last bit out loud, but didn't care anymore.

She decided to build a bonfire, well away from the others, where the cliff walls provided a natural amphitheater for her music, and dance and practice with her weapons until she fell in exhaustion. If this was indeed her last evening alive, she would spend it immersed in the music of her world. Getting lost in the meditations and forms of the masters would be a welcome distraction from all those bothersome emotions.

She stripped down to her leather breeches and donned a heavier, cotton blouse before putting her fur and leather winter boots on. Grabbing her Katana and Kyoketsu-shoge, she wrapped her cloak around herself and left the tent.

Zevran, hidden within the shadows of the surrounding trees, followed the petite woman as she strode purposely away from the others.

She found a perfect clearing to set-up her makeshift training arena and began gathering wood for a bonfire. Morrigan approached her and she barely acknowledged the mage as she stacked the wood.

The witch wasn't used to feeling sympathy for others, but she respected Erin more than anyone she had met before. She didn't know exactly what a friend was, but felt Erin was the closest thing she may ever come to having one. "May I assist you, my friend?"

Erin stopped and regarded the other woman with nothing more than a glance over her shoulder. "If you wish, certainly."

Ah, there was the professional indifference she had been raised to admire. She set about gathering wood and placing it on the growing pyre. Once it was of sufficient size, they stacked more wood nearby and Morrigan lit it ablaze with a simple fire spell. "He is a fool, Erin, and you are better off without him if he is not strong enough to put aside his petty concerns when you need him most. Men are weak and self-centered things. He has simply shown he is no better than the rest of them."

Erin was angry at her forwardness, yet thankful for her words just the same. "I guess. Doesn't matter now, does it? I've been foolish and have forgotten my training and purpose. It won't happen again. Everyone, you included, is expendable if they are not needed for my mission. I've spent too much time here and wish to be home."

"A very sensible attitude, my friend. I shall leave you to it then." Morrigan left before she could show any amount of disappointment in the change in Erin's demeanor. While she agreed with the foreigner, part of her had grown attached to the other woman and she missed the camaraderie of their previous exchanges.

Zevran sighed and felt a tinge of regret, but forced it back behind the wall. Their affair had been dangerous to them both and she had just validated his decision to end all ties to the other rogue. They were precise weapons, he and The Traveler, and they had allowed themselves to dull and rust with the moisture of sentiment and intimacy.

She obviously wanted to train and prepare in privacy, but if she didn't know he was there, he felt there was no harm in his watching. He was unable to sleep after he left her tent and there was nothing else to entertain him while he drank his wine. The assassin hoped a couple of mugs would put his mind at ease and allow him to get some rest before the sun rose.

Erin loaded her player application with several of her favorite dance and rap tunes, carefully arranged to increase in intensity as her training progressed. She laughed as _Lollipop_ by Lil' Wayne came on. "If this doesn't fuck with their heads, I don't know what will." She began slowly moving to the beat, hips swaying left to right, arms out to the side, shoulders undulating to the faster beat.

He was so startled when her music began bouncing off the cliff walls that he almost dropped from his perch among the trees. "What on Earth is making those sounds and what style of singing is _that_?" Her movements were strange, to say the least. He listened to the words and his mouth went agape. "Is he talking about what I think he's taking about?"

As she loosened up and muscle memory returned, her hands flew above her head and she quickened the pace of her hips as she bent her knees and lowered herself. Then her hands were on her hips and she worked her torso, popping her chest front-to-back and side-to-side with perfect muscle control. Finally, every inch of her was engaged in a study of precise movements, driven by all of the overlapping beats of the song.

Zevran had never seen anyone move like she was. While it was certainly foreign, he appreciated the level of control it would take to dance in such a manner. The air went silent and she kicked out her legs and wiggled her arms. "Just loosening up, are we? Ah, this should be good." He poured another measure of wine and settled in for the show. A woman was singing this time.

_Nine… four… eight… one… beeday_

"Beeday? What is a 'beeday'? And don't these people know how to count?" The Antivan was sitting forward now, gripping his wine as he became glued to the scene playing out by the raging bonfire.

_Get Me Bodied_ by Beyonce came on and Erin's hips shook quickly in an improvised, Hawaiian 'Ami ku'upau after the song's intro. Her dancing was much more tribal and rhythmic this time, borrowing heavily from the many lessons her dear friend, Naomi, had given her over their thirty-plus years of friendship. She loved combining traditional, Hawaiian moves with those of hip-hop.

"_Mierda…" _Zevran sighed as he watched his former lover's movements. It was becoming difficult not to drop from the tree and take her, there by the fire, regardless of the consequences. He tossed back the rest of the wine in his mug and swallowed hard while he poured more, entranced by her hips.

Several more songs played, much like the first two, with increasingly intricate beats. She paused the playback and strapped her Katana to her waist. She pressed the play button and struck a traditional, Iaido form as _Eyes Like Yours_ by Shakira began playing. As the smooth, Persian introduction played, she unsheathed her sword, made a strong cutting motion, and ceremoniously sheathed it again.

She repeated the form as she moved around the fire, as if it were encircled by her enemies and she was cutting them down, one-by-one. She twirled and moved her legs in time with the music as she circled, again and again. The dexterous woman back-flipped and tumbled around her imaginary foes, the movement of the sword in and out of the sheath coming faster and faster until it was almost indistinguishable.

Zevran had forgotten his wine altogether. She mesmerized him. They had sparred and he had watched her go through her forms before, but she had never shown this level of fluidity and passion. Combined with the music of her world and the grace of her body as she moved in time with it, her skill was intoxicating enough that he didn't miss the alcohol.

Now thoroughly warmed up, she unsheathed the weapon. Using a two-handed grip, she held the hilt to her right side with the blade pointing up along her body, and awaited the next song. The Latin beat of Shakira's _Te Aviso, Te Anuncio_ pounded off the rock around her as she began the Kenjutsu. The modern take on the traditional Tango was perfect for this particular exercise.

She circled the fire as she did through the last song, but her Katana was never sheathed. It twirled around her as she ducked, parried, feinted, flipped and somersaulted around her invisible targets. Every movement timed perfectly to either the rhythm of the singer's vibrato or the various, musical instruments. She was blade dancing.

Zevran was being pulled to the woman he knew so intimately. He had descended the tree and crept closer to the fire, yet remained far enough away that the shadows still encased his form. A battle of wills was being waged within him. The man she had awoken in him during their time together beat his fists against the stone around his heart. Meanwhile, the battered elven slave attempted to shore up the walls.

She was panting and sweaty when the song stopped. She unbuttoned her blouse from the hem and tied it in a knot, just below her chest, exposing the taught muscles of her abdomen, her navel and the tops of her hips. She carefully removed her Katana and took up the Kyoketsu-shoge. She placed the loop over her left hand and loosely gathered the chain, placing the excess in that hand as well. She allowed four feet of chain to hang slack between her outstretched hands and another three feet to hang from her right hand to the weapon.

She bowed her head for a moment as the song began, sneering in amusement. "_I Love the Way You Lie_… oh, Eminem, you are preaching to the choir." She smoothly swung the weapon and sang along with the intro.

_Just gonna stand there and watch me burn  
But that's alright, because I like the way it hurts  
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry  
But that's alright, because I love the way you lie  
I love the way you lie  
_

Zevran gripped the side of a tree until his knuckles turned white and his fingertips began to bleed. The sound of her singing in earnest such sad, poignant words made him ache with need for her. When the man in the song started talking, the words he spoke felt as if they were wrenched from his own mind.

_I can't tell you what it really is  
I can only tell you what it feels like  
And right now there's a steel knife  
In my windpipe  
I can't breathe  
But I still fight  
While I can fight  
As long as the wrong feels right_

Erin cried as she spun and released her weapon. Why was she letting the song play? Why not simply press fast forward? Why had she selected it to begin with? The release of the pain, fear and anger felt too good, however, and she threw herself into the exercise.

_You ever love somebody so much  
You can barely breathe  
When you're with them  
You meet  
And neither one of you  
Even know what hit 'em_

Powerfully, she flicked the weapon away from her with every pronounced syllable of the artist's words. When the chorus sounded, she twirled, arms out at her side, head back, singing. When the man sang again, she returned to the deadly dance. The chorus began as she ended a spinning flip, landing on her feet. She spread her arms as her body rocked to the music and sang with absolute conviction.

The assassin moved closer. The foreign man spoke once more.

_Baby please come back  
It wasn't you  
Baby it was me  
Maybe our relationship  
Isn't as crazy as it seems  
Maybe that's what happens  
When a tornado meets a volcano  
All I know is  
I love you too much  
To walk away though_

The man behind the wall broke through and Zevran began walking towards the fire. The slave cried as the stone crumbled around him.

When the chorus sounded for the final time, Erin sunk to her knees in the trampled, muddy snow around the fire. Zevran ran to her and spoke in his native tongue. "I am sorry, my heart, my lover. Please, do not cry." He grabbed her face and forced her to look into his reddening eyes. "Please, forgive me for saying such things to you. You are my light. I shall never hurt you again, for as long as your presence is allowed to me." He gripped her tightly to his chest and they held each other by the fire.

Erin pressed her hands to his chest, sitting back so she could look at him. Their shared language spilled out of her; the words coming out quickly and stinted. "I am so scared, my master, my soul. I don't want to leave. I'm not ready. I don't want to walk my world wondering if you were happy in your life. When you died. How you died. The thought of it scares the hell out of me. I don't want to hurt you Zev, you mean more to me than I wanted you to. More than I ever expected to find here. Anywhere. I am so sorry I will have to…"

He wrapped his left arm around her lower back and clutched her to his chest once more. Smoothing her tangled hair with his right hand, he pressed his lips to her fevered forehead and rocked her gently. "Shhhh, my dear, shhhh. Do not apologize for caring for me. I am sorry I acted so childishly." He felt her shiver and gently kissed her again before collecting her things. Once she had them all firmly in hand, he scooped her up in his arms and took her to her tent.

He laid Erin down on her bedroll. "Get warm, mi querida. I will return shortly." He slipped out of the tent and asked Aiden to make sure the other bonfire was taken care of before retrieving his belongings. He returned to her after a few moments, burdened by the contents of his tent. He motioned for her to stand and placed her cloak around her shoulders before making their shared bed.

She was still shivering as he stood and walked to her. Zevran encircled his lover with his arms, pulling her to his chest. He stroked her long hair as she buried her face in the crook between his neck and shoulder. "Ah, mi querida, mi amante, we will face this destiny together. If it is the will of the gods that you should leave my side tomorrow, then we shall make this night a memorable one, no?

He lifted her chin and kissed her tenderly, memorizing the feel of her lips against his. He took his time tasting her mouth, committing all of her flavors to memory. "We will eat before retiring. You will need your strength for what I have planned for you." He offered her his trademark leer, trying to lift the somber mood she was in.

She smiled back and examined the shelter Zevran had erected by himself. It was the first time he had done so and all appeared to be correct. "You did an excellent job with the tent. You didn't have any leftover parts, right?" She winked at him slyly, but her eyes betrayed the sadness she still harbored just beneath her skin.

"You wound me, mi premiar. It is not as if I had not helped you before. It is not so difficult a thing to erect." The last word dripped with sexual overtones. "I will be back with dinner."

XXX

Aiden laid his hand on the assassin's shoulder as he placed various meats, greens and root vegetables on a large platter. "Zev, if you ever need to talk, just get things off your chest, I'm here for you. I know how hard this is for me to digest and I have never known the pleasure of lying with the woman. It must be excruciating for you."

Zevran recalled the muscular warrior's flirtations from a few days ago. Maybe the Warden was hinting at a deeper desire in his words and they were not just teasing comments. "I appreciate your offer Warden. It is… difficult, yes. But I am under no illusions and have always known she would not be mine for long.

He laughed while shaking his head. "In truth, I was quite surprised that she opened up to me at all. She is a very… _surprising_ woman, to say the least. I will certainly miss her companionship, and her blades. It is my sincere wish that she remain with us until this Blight is defeated. Her many talents have come in handy, no?"

Aiden sighed and looked up to the moon. "She has been indispensible and a true friend. I am having a very hard time imagining our group without her presence. She has been with me since this journey began. Her leaving will create a void I'm not sure anyone will be able to fill."

The young Warden refocused his attention on the elf beside him. "But we will continue without her and finish this thing. We have to and she wouldn't want us to mourn her."

He set Zevran's plate down on a nearby boulder and took the elf by the shoulders. "You know that you are just as much a part of this team as anyone else, Zev. I need you by my side as much as I need the others. Please, don't take on any burden alone that the rest of us can help you carry."

Zevran bowed his head and smiled. The Warden spoke from his heart and it eased some of his pain to hear him say the words. He knew he had a friend in this young man and he would need that camaraderie when Erin left his world. "I… thank you, Warden. That means… more to me than I can adequately say."

He paused a moment before fixing Aiden with an uncharacteristically serious gaze. "Aiden, if you would like to join us this evening, I will be more than happy to approach Erin on your behalf. I… wouldn't want to be the cause of any unfulfilled desires that may be lurking in that devious mind of yours."

Aiden laughed, "No Zev, while that is indeed tempting, I do not wish to complicate things between Erin and myself. I also don't think Leliana would be very happy with me if I bedded Erin while she and I are becoming… close."

Zevran chuckled back at the warrior, "Hmmm, no doubt that would complicate matters between you and the lovely bard. As you wish, my Warden. She and I will be up rather late. I think it is a good idea that she be allowed to sleep in tomorrow."

"Of course, I will allow her to set the pace until this is done. I must admit, I am in no hurry to engage this particular enemy. I would suggest we put this off another day to allow her more time to prepare, but something tells me this needs to be finished as soon as possible. We may all be worried over nothing, but there is no sense postponing the inevitable."

He cupped the elf's cheek, "I mean it. Zev. I am here for you, whenever you need me. Never doubt that."

Zevran shuffled his feet slightly, not sure how to respond to such an offer. "I… we do not have friends in the Crows and I honestly never thought I would find such a thing. Erin has taught me the meaning of the word and I would gladly call you 'friend', my Warden."

Aiden wrapped his arms around the smaller man in a friendly, bear hug.

The assassin was shocked by the sudden, intimate gesture and stood frozen for a moment before his arms tentatively returned the embrace.

Leliana approached the entwined men and smiled, "Awwww, that is so _adorable_. It is breathtaking to see men embrace each other freely." She clasped her hands together in front of her and tilted her head as she smiled warmly at them.

The two men dropped their arms and coughed into their hands while trying to find anything but Leliana to look at. They decided on their shoes as they shuffled uncomfortably in the bard's appreciative gaze.

"Yes, well, glad we worked that out Zev. I… uh… food, yes, food. _Very_ hungry. See you later then."

"Ah… yes, Erin is expecting me back. I'll just… be going now. Good evening Warden." He turned and bowed to the redhead without his usual grace. "Leliana."

Zevran hurried back to Erin's tent and slipped inside. While he had been with many men in his past, this was far different than the lusty embraces involved in those trysts. He had never been hugged by a man in friendship before and he wasn't sure how to process this new form of intimacy. It felt oddly comforting though.

XXX

Zevran presented the platter of food to Erin with an exaggerated bow. She giggled at him as he set it on their bedroll and joined her; pulling the blankets over their laps for warmth. They sat and ate dinner while her music played. She explained the various musical styles as the songs changed.

Zevran liked it all, even though he couldn't understand most of the lyrics. He liked the beat of what she called 'hip hop' and the lyrical style of 'Rap". The Spanish guitar and Cuban music reminded him of his beloved Antiva. She had an appreciation for a large range of styles and her world was rich with different types of music.

"Erin, Aiden mentioned we could postpone this one more day to allow you more time to… prepare. Do you want me to tell him you need another day?" He tried to hide the pleading in his eyes as he awaited her response.

Erin's eyes fell to her hands in her lap. She wanted another day, and another, and another, but that would only drag out the pain of what may happen. "As much as I want to put this off, Zev, I can't. The demon may already know I'm here and we don't want to give it any more time to prepare than necessary."

She made sense; there was no need to let the demon gain power while they drew out their destiny. "Hmm, I believe we should waste no more time with talk then, mi premiar." He wrapped his right hand gently around her neck and pulled her to him for a kiss.

He removed her cloak and she shivered violently before cursing the temperature. "Oh Lord have mercy, it's cold!" She quickly slid back under the blankets and pulled them up to her chin.

"Ah, I think I can help with that. Having you covered so, will simply not do for what I have planned. I will be right back." Zevran left the tent and went through their spare gear for a metal shield. He found several rocks of equal size and placed them in a circle close to their bed. He went to the campfire and filled the shield with as many hot coals and small rocks as it would safely carry. Once inside the tent again, he placed the shield on the rocks. "That should add some warmth, mi amante, and not pose a threat in the process."

Erin could feel the heat from the coals and allowed Zevran to pull her up to undress. He removed her shirt and cupped her breasts as he bent his head to suckle them. She whimpered as his tongue teased her and his hand slipped under her pants and panties. He licked a path from her breasts, up her neck and took her mouth hungrily as he sank a finger inside her. He hissed at how wet she had already become.

He dropped to his knees and slowly unzipped her pants, glancing up to catch her gaze as she watched him. The garment fell to the floor and he ran his hands up her calves and thighs before letting them settle on her posterior. He slid her panties down slowly while his tongue tasted her and he nipped at her bud playfully. She moaned. He growled.

He stood and began removing his armor, openly appraising every inch of her naked form while he did so. He shivered slightly at the memory of almost denying himself this vision not a couple of hours earlier.

"You are still cold Zev?"

"Awwww, no, mi premiar, it is your incredible sexiness that has caused me to tremble, I assure you." He hoped she bought it.

She giggled and lowered her head while delicately dragging a toe in circles.

"You are quite fetching when you do that 'shy' thing, mi querida." Good, she was unaware.

She kneeled before him as he removed the last of his armor and began helping him with his boots. His eyes were hungry, knowing full well what she had in store for him once the menial task was completed. With their gaze locked on one another, she watched him as she licked his length. She began stroking him and sucking the sensitive head of his erection, whirling her tongue around him before taking him fully in her mouth.

"Mierda, you are so very good with your mouth, mi premiar." He stroked her hair and watched attentively as she pleasured him.

When he began to swell, he grabbed his shaft and slid himself out of her mouth.

She smiled up at him and grasped his tight glutes firmly. "No, mi amo, please. I wish to taste you."

He moaned as he obediently slid himself back inside her, lightly guiding the pace as he neared his peak. She sucked him harder and deeper, coaxing him to fill her mouth with his flavor. He relinquished all control as his head tilted back, just holding her enough to maintain his balance as his climax hit him. He returned his gaze to their joining as he spilled into her, watching her swallow everything he had to give her.

She helped him to his knees as they both slipped under the blankets. He tasted every inch of his Traveler's neck, shoulders, breasts, and stomach before ducking under the blankets. He wasted no time lapping up the moisture created while she had pleasured him. She churned as he tasted her. When his tongue began dancing over her center, she clutched at the furs of their bedding.

He held her thighs as she quivered under his ministrations. When she peaked, he held her hips firmly to the bedding so she could not break his contact. He was hard again and painfully in need of her. Before she stopped trembling altogether, he launched into her.

Erin was getting dizzy from the pleasure of him filling her with such need. Their lust fueled their lovemaking and made it desperate and hungry. He guided her to all fours, and with his hands on her hips, took her again and again. He slid a hand to her axis once more and let his fingers bring her to a shuddering, whimpering climax as he claimed her.

When he finally released inside her, they were both shaking and barely able to move their limbs. He stayed hunched over her for a while, kissing the back of her neck, before he slid out of her and lay down. She was unable to move and lay flat on her belly. He pulled the blankets over them both while they recovered.

Zevran peppered her with kisses and adjusted the blankets as she turned to nestle her back into his chest. Cold air shot between them when she moved, washing over their sweat covered skin. "Brasca! It is cold here. No more movements, mi querida, lest more of that Maker forsaken air sneak in." He kissed the nape of her neck and pulled her closer to him as sleep took him.

Erin lay awake, committing everything about her Antivan elf to memory: every smell, the warmth of his skin, the calluses on his hands and the rhythm of his heart beat. She studied the way his chest rose and fell behind her and the feel of his breath on her neck. It was quite a while before she allowed herself to sleep again.

~TBC~

_A/N: Sorry for the very long delay, but with the holiday and me getting the stomach flu, I had little time to write. This chapter has also seen a serious reworking from what I originally sent to my Betas. I know this is a huge chapter, but there was no sane way to break it into two._

_Thank you for all of the comments,reviews, faves and alerts. Hearing what really resonates with each of you helps me craft a better story._

_As always, a special thanks to my Betas, Biff and Zevgirl._


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